Pascha Book ST Pauls Brotherhoodpdf PDF

T r e a s u r e s of the Fa t h e r s of th e C h u r c h
Published and distributed by

Saint Paul Brotherhood
Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California and Hawaii
H i s H o l i n e s s P o p e S h e n o u d a III
117APopeandPatriarchd(tkeGreatSeeoftkeCitg ofAlexandria
His G r a c e B ish o p S e r a p io n
Biskopofike Dioceseof Angeles,SoutkernCedifomia,andHawaii
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church t The Holy Pascha
Ta b l e of C ontents
Preface by His Grace Bishop Serapion................................... ............................... ..................... 7
Chapter 1: How to Benefit Spiritually From the Holy Pascha Week by HHPope Shenouda III... 9
Chapter 2: An Overview of the Holy Pascha Week.......................... ..........................................13
Chapter 3: Lazarus Saturday “I am the Resurrection” ........ .............................. .............27
Chapter 4: Palm Sunday “Behold Your King” .........................................................45
Chapter 5: Eve of Holy Monday “He Prepares Them” .......................................... ............... 81
Chapter 6: Holy Monday “The Tree of Life”........................................... ............... 99
Chapter 7: Eve of Holy Tuesday “The Judge of the World”...............................................131
Chapter 8: Holy Tuesday “Behold the Bridegroom” .............................................. 151
Chapter 9: Eve of Holy Wednesday “The Wedding Feast” .............. ...................................... 193
Chapter 10: Holy Wednesday “Kisses of Love and Betrayal” ....................................... 217
Chapter 11: Eve of Great Thursday “The Betrayal” ................................................................249
Chapter 12: Great Thursday “The Great Sacrifice” .....................................................269
Chapter 13: Eve of Great Friday “Gethsemane” ........................................ ..................... . 335
Chapter 14: Great Friday <$>&! eT&qeNq / “This is He” ........ ...................... ..........381
Chapter 15: Bright Saturday “He Lifts Us Up” ................ ............................................491
Chapter 16: Conclusion “O Lord Come” ..............................................................497
Index of References.................................................................... ................................. ......... . 499
N otes..................................................... ........................................................ .......................... 500
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church f The Holy Pascha
Preface
rfV'l'S a mother feeds her child with the proper food, at the proper time, and with the proper
utensils, the Church feeds us the Word of God in bite-sized portions of the Word of God, at
different times of the Church year, using the golden spoon of the Fathers. In all wisdom, tender
care and love, our Mother Church yearns to feed her children the Holy Scriptures and nourish
them with the Bread of Life.
With great joy and enthusiasm, we present to you the Treasures o f the Fathers o f the
Church Series, Volume Three, The Holy Pascha. This is one book in a series that contains the
sayings of the Church Fathers on the readings of Holy Week as well as brief commentary on the
rites and traditions of the Holy Pascha week in the Coptic Orthodox Church. Many books have
been written on the Great Lent, however those books and references available on the topic of
Holy Week are few and not readily available, especially those available in English.
Our paramount objective in this series is to introduce the believers to the “trialogue” of
faith—the harmony among the Holy Bible, the Church Fathers, and the Rite of the Coptic
Church. Through this symphony of discourse, the believer not only reads the Holy Bible, but
understands it through the homilies, exegesis, and commentaries of the Fathers of the Church.
This is a brief and simple ‘companion’ to the Coptic Orthodox Lectionary. We hope and pray
that through this series, the Holy Bible, the Church Fathers, and the Church rites are not only
introduced to each believer, but are experienced by the believer and a deep source of blessing,
wisdom, and faith.
Through the grace of God, we have just published Volume Three of this series for the
days of the Holy Pascha. This book includes 500 pages and over 1000 excerpts from the patristic
writings such as the writings of St. Athanasius, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. John Chrysostom, St.
Gregory Nazianzen, St. Basil the Great, the Scholar Origen, and many others. Additionally, each
day and each hour are introduced with a brief explanation its theme of the readings, events, and
rites contained within. We have also included two additional articles on Holy Week: one
spiritual introduction to Holy Pascha Week by our beloved H.H. Pope Shenouda III; and a
second article which provides an historical overview of the Holy Week tradition, as compared
with other Apostolic traditions.
The text of the prophesies and gospels are included in the according to the New King
James Version; the Deuterocanonical readings according to the NRSV; and the Psalms according
to the English translation of the Coptic text. When quoting the Ante-Nicene or Post-Nicene
fathers, oftentimes the text is adapted into modem English and some word substitutions were
necessary to present a better understanding. When possible, verses have been changed into the
New King James Version with their references added.
We are especially indebted to the labor and efforts of our beloved Father Tadros Malaty.
His books have been extremely helpful in producing this series. I also thank Fr. John Paul who
prepared this volume. He selected the texts, edited them, and wrote many comments. He is also
working hard to prepare the other volumes of this series. May the Lord bless his efforts and grant
him the heavenly reward.
Page 7
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church fW The Holy Pascha
God willing, we hope to also publish the remaining volumes within this series. The
projected and published volumes of this series are:
Volume 1 Sunday Gospels of Tute-Amshir
Volume 2 Sunday Gospels of Great Lent
Volume 3 The Holy Pascha
Volume 4 Sunday Gospels of the Holy Fifty Days
Volume 5 Sunday Gospels of Baramhat-Nasie
Volume 6 Daily Readings for the Church Year
As our beloved father, Saint Athanasius has said, “We duly proceed, my brethren, from
feasts to feasts, duly from prayers to prayers, we advance from fasts to fasts, and join holy-days
to holy-days. ”x We pray that you too may pass from one holy season to another so that by the
end of this great and holy week, you may be able to “know Him and the power o f His
resurrection, and the fellowship o f His suffering, being conformed to His death. ” (Philip. 3:10).
May the Lord Jesus Christ, our true God, Who through His good will accepted the
sufferings and was crucified upon the Cross for our sakes, bless you with all spiritual blessings,
support you, allow you to complete the Holy Week of Pascha and bring forth upon you the joy of
His Holy Resurrection for many years and peaceful times. Through the never-ending
intercessions of the Holy Theotokos Saint Mary, and the prayers of all His angels, apostles,
martyrs, and saints who pleased Him from the beginning, may this work will be a source of
blessing for the glory of His Name and the spread of His Kingdom.
Glory be to the Holy Trinity, our God, unto the ages of all ages, Amen.
Bishop Serapion
Great Lent, 2004
1 St. Athanasius, Letter 5, NPNF, s.2, v.4, p. 1237.
Page 8
C hapter l
H ow to B enefit Spir it u a l l y F ro m
the H o l y P a s c h a W eek
H is H o l i n e s s P o p e S h e n o u d a III
“When we fast, we should hallow the fast.

For not all those who call upon God, hallow God...
for we should not only fast with the body but also with the soul.”
St. Athanasius2
2 St. Athanasius, Letter 1: O f Fasting, Trumpets and Feasts, NPNF, s. 2, v. 4, p. 1215, 1216.
Page 9
1. Our Behavior Inside and Outside of Church
It is very noticeable that many people during Pascha Week are one thing inside church
and completely different outside. In side church, black curtains, somber hymns, solemn
readings, and concentrating on the suffering of Christ. Outside of church, we often laugh, joke
around, socialize, think and talk about many worldly issues. We lose all the spiritual depth that
we gained inside church. Let us concentrate our thoughts, conversations, and meditations around
the events of this holy week and the Passion of our Savior.
2. Retreat
During our regular fasting days, we pt the words of the bible before us, “Consecrate a
fast, call a sacred a s s e m b l y (Joel 1:14). How much more then should we apply this
commandment during Holy Week? This week should be characterized by solitude and retreat
with God, by staying away from idle discussions and various means of entertainment of pleasure.
Reserve your time to God and to spiritual activities worthy of this week.
In the first hour of the Monday of the Holy Pascha, we read St. Shenouda’s homily,
which warns us: “Brethren if we want o escape God’s punishment and find mercy in His
eyes, let us sit every evening alone by ourselves and search our souls...”
3. Follow the Steps of Christ
Meditate on the events of the week one by one: from Palm Sunday, when Christ refused
His worldly kingdom and the Jews gave up their hope in Him, until they crucified and buried
Him. On Palm Sunday, ask yourself, “Is Christ King and Lord over everything in my life? Do I,
like Christ, turn down worldly glory for spiritual and eternal glory? During the General Funeral
Service, do I consider myself attending my own funeral?”
And when the church denounces Judas’ traitorous kiss on the eve of the Wednesday of
Pascha Week, ask yourself in prayer, “How often, O Lord have I betrayed You? How many
times have I told You words of love in prayers, while my actions show the opposite and my heart
is far away from You?”
4. Share in the Fellowship of His Suffering
Saint Paul said, “That I may know Him and the power o f His resurrection, and the
fellowship o f His suffering, being conformed to His death." (Philippians 3:10) Can we give
ourselves an exercise this week to share in the fellowship of His suffering and be conformed to
His death? Can we follow Him in His suffering and ascend with Him to the Cross? Can we say
with St. Paul, “With Christ I have been crucified; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who
lives in me. ” ? (Galatians 2:20).
Therefore, in order for Christ to live in us, we have to carry our cross and follow Him. If
you have a cross in your life, do not complaint about it. Instead, rejoice in it and bear it for
Christ’s sake, “for to you has been granted on behalf o f Christ, not only to believe in Him but
to suffer for His sake.99(Philippians 1:29).
Page 10
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church The Holy Pascha
5. Asceticism
Whoever puts the suffering of Christ before him will not take any pleasure in eating and
drinking or pampering the body. But in order to succeed in pursuing asceticism, we must satisfy
our souls with spiritual food so that it may thrive and overcome physical hunger. It was
customary for the Church to fast until at least the 9th hour on normal fasting days and until sunset
during the Holy Week of Pascha.
St. Athanasius even declared that this period of Holy Week should be received with
“longer prayers, fasts, and vigils so that we may be able to anoint our lintels3 with precious blood
and escape the destroyer.”4 And again, the blessed saint says, “Let us thus engage in the holy
fasts, as having been prescribed by Him, and by means of which we find the way to God.”5
6. Spiritual Readings
Spiritual readings are also food for the soul. The church has organized for us a treasure
of appropriate readings for every day of the Holy Week, comprised of Gospel readings, Old
Testament prophesies that correspond to the events of each day, spiritual explanations and
sermons of the Church Fathers. On Bright Saturday (Apocalypse night) the church reads the
entire Book of Revelation.
7. Hymns
The hymns of the Pascha Week are moving and full of spiritual depth. Hymns, like
reading, preserve the thought from wandering and guide it in spiritual direction. We should
continue to recite the hymns while walking, meditating, resting.
8. Prayer
Since the prayers of the Agpeya are not used during Holy Week, we are to substitute
personal prayers in their place, in addition to the intensive prayers of the church, asking the Lord
who bore the sins of the world and died for us, to forgive and have mercy upon us according to
His great mercy.
9. Confession and Communion
During this week, each person must sit with himself and remember his sins and put them
on Christ’s shoulders and tell Him in shame, “Carry O Lord my sins too, with the sins of the rest
of humanity. Take my sins and nail them to the Cross with You, so that Your Blood may wipe
them away!”
Look carefully at your sins and know that they are the cause of His crucifixion. Many
people cry out of their sorrow for Christ’s suffering while they crucify Him every day with their
3 The lintel is the horizontal beam that supports the wall above the framework of a door or window. At the time of
the first Passover, the Lord told Moses to sprinkle the blood of a slain lamb on the doorposts and the lintels of the
houses of the Israelites (Ex 12:7). The word lintel is also applied to the entrance to the inner sanctuary of Solomon’s
Temple (1 Kings 6:31). Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1986
Page 11
sins. We should not feel sorry for Christ during this week, but should be sorry for our sins that
caused Him these pains. As Jesus told the women that were crying over Him, “Daughters o f
Jerusalem, do not cry for Me, but cry for yourselves and your children.99(Luke 23:28).
Before the Cross, we all stand as sinners, all under the condemnation, “no one is
righteous, not even one.99 (Psalm 14:3). We confess our sins and prepare ourselves for
communion. There are three liturgies during Holy Week: on Passover Thursday, Holy Saturday,
and Easter Sunday (Preceded, of course, by the Liturgy of Palm Sunday).
10. Spiritual Storage
Pascha Week is not an opportunity to benefit for a week only, but a time to store up
spiritual nourishment enough to last the whole year, particularly needed during the 50 days after
the Resurrection when there is no fasting.
Page 12
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church f V The Holy Pascha
C hapter 2
A n O v e r v ie w o f the H oly Pa sc h a W eek
Page 13
JSrithout question, the Holy Pascha week is the holiest week of the entire year. The artistic
beauty and spiritual depth of the rites of this week are at its zenith. Christ’s crucifixion and
resurrection are the foundation upon which is built the whole fabric of Christianity.6
T h e W o rd , "PASCHA"
“He is the Pascha o f our salvation. ”—Melito of Sardis
The understanding of the word Pascha has a complex and confusing historical
interpretation. Pascha or Pesach in the Old Testament referred to the Jewish feast of the
Passover, the paschal lamb itself, and sometimes denotes both together. It also referred to the
first night of the Unleavened Bread, the entire week.
In the Christian tradition, the use of the term “Pascha” varies in use according to the
theological focus of the Christian group. The early Latin rite, focusing on the sufferings of
Christ, used Pascha to refer the “Passion” and thus related more closely to the day of our Lord’s
Crucifixion. One example of this is Melito of Sardis, who writes, “What is the Pascha? It is taken
from an accompanying circumstance paschein (to keep Pascha) comes from pathein (to suffer).
Therefore, learn who the suffer is and who is he who suffers along with the sufferer.”7
However, there is a second, more accurate understanding of Pascha, which was
interpreted as “passage” instead of “passion. ” This understanding was introduced by the Jewish
writer Philo, and continued in by the famous Alexandrian fathers, the Scholar Origen, St. Cyril
of Alexandria, and St. Clement. Thus, our Church focused more on the glory and victory of the
resurrection rather than the sufferings.
This “passage” or “passing through” relates to the two main references in the Old
Testament relating to the Pascha. The first relates to the Lord’s explanation to His people in
book of Exodus, “It is the Lord's Passover. For I will pass through the land o f Egypt on that
(
night...” Ex. 12:11-12). This phrase, “pass through” (also in v. 23) refers to a linear motion as
when Jacob crossed over the Jordan when fleeing from Laban (Gen. 31:21), or when Jacob
desired to cross through the territory of King Sihon (Num. 21:23).
The Lord then repeats this saying, “And when I see the blood, I will pass over you... ”
(Ex. 12:13). The Hebrew word for “Passover” comes from this phrase “pass over. ” The exact
word used in Hebrew is pacach (pronouncedpaw-sakh *); which means to hop, to skip over, or to
spare.8 Amazingly, the only other time this word is used in the Bible outside this chapter is in
Isaiah 31:5, where the Lord explains, “Like birds flying about, so will the Lord o f Hosts defend
Jerusalem. Defending, He will also deliver it; Passing over. He will preserve it. ”
Below are the sayings of these Alexandrian fathers. Also below is the understanding of
St. Augustine, who though properly explaining the word “pascha,” does slightly mix its meaning
with the western understanding.
Most, if not all of the brethren think that the Pascha is named Pascha from the passion of
the Savior. However, the feast in question is not called precisely Pascha by the Hebrews, but
6 Introduction of Holy Pascha CD, Dr. Ragheb Moftah

7 Melito of Sardis, “The Mystery of the Pascha,” On the Pascha, p. 46.
8 Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary, 1994,
6452.
Page 14
phas[h]. The name of this feast is constituted by the three letters, phi, alpha and sigma, plus the
rougher Hebrew aspirate. Translated, it means “passage.” Since it is on the feast that the people
go forth from Egypt, it is logical to call it phas[h/, that is “passage.” In the speech of Hellas the
name itself cannot be pronounced as the Hebrews say it, because not using the rougher Hebrew
apriate, the Hellenes cannot say phas[h]. Consequently, the name was Hellenized, and in the
prophets we read phasek, which upon further Hellinization has become pascha. And so, if any
of our people in the company of the Hebrews makes the rash statement that Pascha is so named
because of the passion of the Savior, they will ridicule him for being completely ignorant of the
meaning of the appellation.
The Scholar Origen9
This feast day was called Pascha, a word belonging to the Hebrew language and
signifying the Passover.. .The name of jthe feast on which Emmanuel bore for us the saving Cross
was the Pascha.
St. Cyril of Alexandria10
Pascha (Passover) is not, as some think, a Greek noun, but a Hebrew: and yet there
occurs in this noun a very suitable kind of accordance in the two languages. For inasmuch as the
Greek word naa%E\v (paschein) means to suffer, therefore pascha has been supposed to mean
suffering, as if the noun derived its name from His passion. But in its own language—that is, in
Hebrew—pascha means Passover; because the Pascha was then celebrated for the first time by
God’s people, when, in their flight from Egypt, they passed over the Red Sea. And now that
prophetic emblem is fulfilled in truth, when Christ is led as a sheep to the slaughter, that by His
blood sprinkled on our doorposts, that is, by the sign of His cross marked on our foreheads, we
may be delivered from the perdition awaiting this world, as Israel from the bondage and
destruction of the Egyptians; and a most useful journey we make when we pass over from the
devil to Christ, and from this unstable world to His well-established Kingdom. And therefore
surely do we pass over to the ever-abiding God, that we may not pass away with this passing
world.
St. Augustine 11
St. Paul describes the life of Christianity as one that passes “from glory to glory. ” In a
similar way, the story of the Passover increases in intensity, meaning, and holiness throughout
the ages. St. Gregory Nazianzen also explains: “For some people, supposing this to be a name
of the Sacred Passion, and in consequence Graecizing the word by changing Phi and Kappa into
Pi and Chi, called the Day Pascha. And custom took it up and confirmed the word, with the help
of the ears of most people, to whom it had a more pious sound.”12
Therefore, we regard this entire week, not just as remembering the suffering of our Lord
on the Cross, but as a gateway to eternal life. Our goal is not to weep for Him alone; but to pass
over with Him from death to life. We look not only for the crucifixion of our bodies, but for the
resurrection of the dead. This is the difference between the western understanding of Pascha,
and the Orthodox understanding. Therefore, in this book we refer to this period as the Holy
Pascha Week, while avoiding the phrase, common in the western tradition, Holy Passion Week.
9 The Scholar Origen, On the Pascha, 1; Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, Easter in the Early Church, p. 53.
10 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 141 on Luke, pp. 565.
11 St. Augustine, The Gospel of John, Tractate 55, Ch. 13, NPNF, s.l,v.7, p. 600.
12 St. Gregory of Nazianzen, “Oration 45: Second Oration on Easter,” NPNF, s.2,v. 12, p. 822.
Page 15
r
T he Last W eek o f M inistry
The Holy Pascha Week clearly revolves around the last week of the ministry of our Lord
Christ. On Saturday, Christ our Lord attended a feast in Jericho at the home of Simon the leper,
where Mary anointed Him with costly perfumes and wiped His feet with her hair. Some of the
disciples protested this act because they felt it was a waste of money, but Jesus commended her.
He pointed out that she was anointing Him for His coming burial (Matt. 26:13; Mark 14:3-9).
On the following day, Sunday, the Lord entered into Jerusalem as explained in the four
gospels. Thus the church commemorates this great event and welcomes the Lord as the King of
Glory into our church and hearts. When the Pharisees saw this, they rebuked Him and His
followers. But the Lord explained to them that the stones would cry out—this is the focus of the
readings on Sunday evening (or the eve of Monday)
Afterwards, When the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke His followers, He replied that if His
followers were quiet the stones would cry out. That evening Jesus and the Twelve returned to
Bethany (Matt. 21:1-9; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-38).
The Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the Holy Pascha are a special unit in this
journey. These are three days, with a common theme and common system of prayer. This
similarity is also matched in other Orthodox traditions as well.13
On Monday, while they were traveling again to Jerusalem, He cursed a fig tree for not
having fruit when He required it (Matt. 21:18—19; Mark 11:12-14). Thus, we read on Monday of
the prophesies of hypocrisy in the Old Testament and of the judgment of our Lord in the New.14
When the Lord reaches Jerusalem, the Jewish leaders demanding Him to explain the authority by
which He was acting. Our Lord explained this by using many parables. Thus, during this day
we read many parables, to the extent that some have called this day the “Day of Parables.”
The change between Monday and Tuesday is perhaps best seen in Matthew 23, where
after the Lord denounces the Pharisees and scribes, he expresses His concern, love and care for
His people. Thus, after we read of the judgment and condemnation of the hypocrites on Monday,
we read of the Lord’s love for us, and acknowledge Him as our Bridegroom on Holy Tuesday.
Even part of Matthew 23 is read on Third Hour of Tuesday and during the Ninth Hour of the Eve
of Wednesday. He also gave several discourses on the last days during this time, which we read
(Matt 24-25; Mark 13).
On Wednesday, the Lord rested in Bethany. There, Mary poured the fragrant oil on the
feet of the Lord, in preparation for His burial. (John 12:3-5) Also Judas betrayed Him and sold
Him for thirty pieces of silver before the Jewish council of the Sanhedrin. We speak of this day
as the day of love and betrayal, two extremes for the hearts of the world in relation to the Lord.
On Holy Thursday evening began the celebration of the Great Passover. We read of the
preparation of the meal by St. Peter and St. John; many passages from Exodus and the Old
Testament referring to this sacrifice; and the New Testament fulfillment of these types. As the
Lord washes their feet, eats the Passover Meal with His disciples, and then goes to Gethsemane;
so the Church does the same. We celebrate the Lakkan service, remembering the washing of the
feet; we celebrate the Divine Liturgy; and then we continue with the Paschal prayers in the
evening. In Gethsemane, the Lord prayed all night until Judas arrived with the soldiers who
arrested Him. (Mt. 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:1-14)
13 Calivas, Great Week and Pascha in the Greek Orthodox Church, p. 29.
14 We even remember this event during the Fast of the Ninevites (which is also called the little Pascha), and read this
passage on the Matins gospel of Tuesday.
Page 16
On Great Friday, we read of His trials, sufferings and death in detail. Hour by hour, we
review the events as they took place. It is among the most important and most moving prayers of
the entire church year. In the Western tradition, there is a common practice of calling this day,
“Good Friday.” However the exact reason for this title is debated among most scholars today.
Some believe that this was a corruption of the name, “God’s Friday.” Others believe the “good”
refers to the “Good News” of salvation. In this book we use the term “Great” to refer to the
greatness of this occasion, our Lord crucified for our salvation. It is also used to refer to Holy
Thursday here as well. This is also consistent with the Early Church references to calling this
week “the Great Week” or the 40 days of fasting as the “Great Fast,” which we now call the
“GreatLent.”
In the evening, during Bright Saturday or Apocalypse, we sing praises of joy and read
many passages Old Testament as we commemorate the Lord who is bringing us salvation; as He
descends into Hades and lifts us up with Him.
The following is an excellent summary of the final events in the ministry of our Lord by
St. Gregory Nazianzen:
If you are a Rachel or a Leah, a patriarchal and great soul, steal whatever idols of your
father you can find; not, however, that you may keep them, but that you may destroy them; and if
you are a wise Israelite remove them to the Land of the Promise, and let the persecutor grieve
over the loss of them, and learn through being outwitted that it was vain for him to tyrannize
over and keep in bondage better men than himself. If you doest this, and come out of Egypt thus,
I know well that you shall be guided by the pillar of fire and cloud by night and day. The
wilderness shall be tamed for you, and the Sea divided; Pharaoh shall be drowned; bread shall
be rained down: the rock shall become a fountain; Amalek shall be conquered, not with arms
alone, but with the hostile hand of the righteous forming both prayers and the invincible trophy
of the Cross; the River shall be cut off; the sun shall stand still; and the moon be restrained; walls
shall be overthrown even without engines; swarms of hornets shall go before you to make a way
for Israel, and to hold the Gentiles in check; and all the other events which are told in the History
after these and with these (not to make a long story) shall be given you of God. Such is the feast
you are keeping today; and in this manner I would have you celebrate both the Birthday and the
Burial of Him Who was bom for you and suffered for you. Such is the Mystery of the Passover;
such are the mysteries sketched by the Law and fulfilled by Christ, the Abolisher of the letter, the
Perfecter of the Spirit, who by His Passion taught us how to suffer, and by His glorification
grants us to be glorified with Him.
If you are a Simon of Cyrene, take up the Cross and follow. If you are crucified with
Him as a robber, acknowledge God as a penitent robber. If even He was numbered among the
transgressors for you and your sin, do you become law-abiding for His sake. Worship Him Who
was hanged for you, even if you yourself are hanging; make some gain even from your
wickedness; purchase salvation by your death; enter with Jesus into Paradise, so that you may
learn from what you have fallen. Contemplate the glories that are there; let the murderer die
outside with His blasphemies; and if you are a Joseph of Arimathaea, beg the Body from him
that crucified Him, make your own that which cleanses the world. If you be a Nicodemus, the
worshipper of God by night, bury Him with spices. If you are a Mary, or another Mary, or a
Salome, or a Joanna, weep in the early morning. Be first to see the stone taken away, and
perhaps you will see the Angels and Jesus Himself. Say something; hear His Voice. If He says to
you, Touch Me not, stand afar off; reverence the Word, but grieve not; for He knows those to
whom He appears first. Keep the feast of the Resurrection; come to the aid of Eve who was first
to fall, of Her who first embraced the Christ, and made Him known to the disciples. If you are a
Peter or a John; hasten to the Sepulcher, running together, running against one another, vying in
Page 17
the noble race. And even if you be beaten in speed, win the victory of zeal; not Looking into the
tomb, but Going in. And if, like a Thomas, you were left out when the disciples were assembled
to whom Christ shows Himself, when you do see Him be not faithless; and if you do not believe,
then believe those who tell you; and if you cannot believe them either, then have confidence in
the print of the nails.
If He descends into Hades, descend with Him. Learn to know the mysteries of Christ
there also, what is the providential purpose of the twofold descent, to save all men absolutely by
His manifestation, or there too only them that believe. And if He ascends up into Heaven, ascend
with Him. Be one of those angels who escort Him, or one of those who receive Him. Bid the
gates be lifted up, or be made higher, that they may receive Him, exalted after His Passion.
St. Gregory Nazianzen 15
This is the only time during the year that we do not read from the Agpeya, since the
Agpeya prayers focus on the entire ministry of our Lord Christ. The psalms and litanies are all
adjusted according to this focus of each hour. However, the desire of the Church during this
Holy Week is for us to focus simply on the suffering, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of our Lord.
Thus, the hours, readings and prayers of Holy Week are based on the Agpeya prayers, as a
substitute for the usual Agpeya hours.
Although some mention that the entire Bible was read during the Holy Week, most
scholars believe it is more probable that the entire New Testament was read, with a special focus
on the gospels. The first official selection of readings seems to be made by H.H. Pope Gabriel,
the 70th Pope of Alexandria, who selected some of the prophesies from the Old Testament,
Psalms, and the New Testaments that memorialized these events in the last week of His ministry.
He then distributed them among the daily hours and compiled it into the Holy Pascha. The work
of Pope Gabriel was then reorganized and revisited by H.G. Bishop Peter, Bishop of Bahnasa.
Bishop Peter added some of the sermons and homilies of the early Fathers of the Church.
Each day during Pascha has a morning and evening service. The Morning and Evening
service contain five separate hours:
Morning Service Evening Service

1st hour 6 am 6 pm
3rd hour 9 am 9 pm
6th hour 12 (noon) 12 (midnight)
9th hour 3 pm 3 am
11th hour 5 pm 5 am
Each of the above hours is divided into six separate sections:
1) Prophesies and Poetry: The number of readings of the prophesies vary from 2-5 (on Great
Friday, however about 20 prophesies are read). A large amount of these prophesies are from
the book of Isaiah, as it contains many of the prophesies relating to His suffering. Thus, the
Church chose this book to be read regularly during the daily morning prophesies of the Great
Lent. By Easter, the Church would have finished reading the entire book.
15 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Second Oration NPNF, s.2, v. 8.
Page 18
Each hour generally has one prophesy explaining how Jerusalem would treat the
Messiah; and one chapter (us. Proverbs or Sirach) discussing the importance of wisdom, fear
of God, righteousness, etc. This is the practical teaching of our lives as Christians, for we
must learn both of God and His ways.
As in the Great Lent, the first prophesy is the same theme as the Pauline (during
Lent), the Gospel, and the sermon. The other prophesies fulfill the first prophesy. They are
arranged to fit the life of Christ during His days on earth.
2) Homilies of the Church Fathers are read throughout the week by Fathers of the church such
as St. Severus, St. Athanasius, St. Shenouda the Archimandrite, and St. Theophilos.
3) Doxology of the Pascha (Thine is the power, the glory...) This is the special hymn of the
Pascha Week dedicated for this difficult journey.
4) The Psalms are chanted to the hymn of Ke Eperto during each hour.
5) The Gospel concludes each hour’s readings. In evenings, only one is read on Monday
through Wednesday. These gospels focus on the main paschal themes during the church
services. The gospels are also read in a specific order. On Tuesday, the predominant Gospel
readings are from the Gospel according to St. Matthew. On Wednesday, they are read from
St. Mark. Starting on the Eve of Great Thursday, four gospels are read during each hour. In
the first hour four chapters are read from St. John (14-17). On the Evening of Bright
Saturday and on the Eve of the Feast of the Resurrection, the gospel is read from St. John.
6) Expositions (al-Tarh) Beginning from the twelfth century and later on, the church added
these summaries of the gospel of each hour, perhaps to inform those who either did not
attend or did not understand the reading of the gospel and/or the focus of each hour.
7) Litanies are then prayed, one during the morning and one in the evening. These litanies are
for the church (clergy, servants, catechumens), the sick, the poor, the leaders and rulers, the
whole world. Prostrations are only allowed during the daytime litanies—except on Sunday,
since we partook of Holy Communion.
8) 12 Lord Have Mercy’s are then said as an extra means of spiritual cleansing from sin in
preparation for the celebration of the Lord’s resurrection.
9) The Final Hymn (O King of Peace), was one of the hymns sung by the martyrs on the way
to persecution.
10) Benediction is the official conclusion to all church prayers in which the congregation is
blessed and dismissed in peace, to continue their prayer, worship meditation and reflection.
Page 19
H istory o f th e C elebration o f Pa s c h a
Although a complete and thorough History of the Coptic Rite is virtually impossible to
ascertain, we have rough sketches of the History of Pascha in the Orthodox Church in
Alexandria. The available texts of early celebrations of the Pascha in Alexandria-as well as in
Gaul, Africa, and Rome—indicate a heavy emphasis on the passion of our Lord, with some
references to the glory of the resurrection.16
As discussed above, the first book of readings known was compiled by Pope Gabriel.
The earliest hymns and praises that were added to this were those of Bright Saturday. These and
other praises began simply and developed over time.
As early as the second century, Christians (both in the East and West) customarily fasted
a short fast on Friday and/or Saturday prior to Easter Sunday as a special Paschal fast in
preparation for Easter.17 This fast was in complete abstinence from food or drink, a sorrowful
fast at the absence of the Bridegroom, fulfilling the words of our Lord: “But the days will come
when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast in those days. ”
(Mk. 2:20).18 Additionally, the Apostolic Canons decreed that from Great Friday to Easter
morning, the faithful should abstain from food.19
By the middle of the third century, this Paschal fast had in many places been extended
to embrace the entire week from Monday to Saturday. There was, however, no uniformity of
practice, and some Christians fasted for less than the full six days. Only a few could have
managed to keep a total fast [abstinence] throughout the whole period. In some places it was the
practice to eat bread and salt, with water, at the ninth hour (3 pm) on the four days from Monday
until Thursday and then to keep, if possible, a total fast on Friday and Saturday. But not all the
faithful were as strict as this.20 The Structure of Holy Week, Paschal Vigil, and Pentecost was
preserved from the establishment of Dionysius of Alexandria.21 During this pre-Nicene period,
there seems to have been a unitary celebration of Christ’s death and rising, considered as a single
mystery. Among the earliest documents for Pascha are from St. Hippolytus and the Didascalia.
The Didascalia instructed the Christians celebrate Pascha only once a year, for “He died
only once.” The date was set to March 22 (Dystros 22), while observing the vernal equinox. If
they miscalculated, they would be celebrating twice a year. To avoid miscalculation, they were
told to allow the Jews to compute this date. But they could not wail during the Passover with the
Jews, “because in the day of their feast they crucified Christ...Be careful not to keep the feast
with the Jews, for we have now no communion with them; for they have been led astray in
regard to the calculation itself, which they think they accomplish perfectly, that they may be led
astray on every hand, and be fenced off from the truth...” They were also instructed not to
“celebrate the day of the Resurrection of our Lord on any other day than a Sunday.” 22
16 Which relates to our understanding of “pascha” as explained above. For more information on this, see Fr. Raniero
Cantalamessa, Easter in the Early Church, 1993, p. 9.
17 Bishop Kallistos Ware, The True Nature of Fasting, Introduction to the Lenten Triodion, St. Tikon Press, 2001, p. 29.
18 Ibid.
19 Apostolic Canon 2:49.
20 Bishop Kallistos Ware, 29-30 citing Dionysius of Alexandria, Canon 1 (Letter to Basilides: PG, x, 1277a).
21 Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, Easter in the Early Church, p. 13. ' :}
22 Didascalia Apostolorum, 21, R. H. Connoly, ed., p. 189.
Page 20
The Didascalia also called for the six day fast, and set some general parameters:
“Therefore, fast on the days of the Passover, beginning from the second day of the week
(Monday) until the preparation, and the Sabbath, six days, making use o f only bread, and salt,
and herbs, and water for your drink. But abstain on these days from wine and flesh, for they are
days of lamentation and not of feasting. Those who are able should fast the day of the
preparation and the Sabbath day entirely, tasting nothing till the cock-crowing of the night. But
if anyone is not able to join them both together, at least let him observe the Sabbath-day; for the
Lord says somewhere, speaking of Himself: “ When the bridegroom shall be taken away from
them, in those days shall they fast. ” In these days, therefore, He was taken from us by the Jews,
falsely so named, and fastened to the cross, and “was numbered among the transgressors 23
St. Hippolytus included some rules for this fast:
<aNo one must eat anything on Pascha before the oblation has been made, for with one
who acts thus, it will not be counted as a fast. 2If a woman is pregnant, or if someone is sick and
cannot fast for two days, let them fast on Saturday, taking bread and water if necessary. 3If are at
sea or for any other necessity did not know the day, when they have learned it they shall fast
after Pentecost. 4For the Passover which we celebrate is not a type, for the type has indeed
passed. For this reason it no longer happens in the second month, and one should fast when one
has learned the truth....”24
At the end of the fourth century, the six days immediately before the Feast of the
Resurrection developed clearly into Holy Week as we know it by St. Cyril the Bishop of
Jerusalem (349-386 AD).25 The Syrians also extended the celebration of Pascha from one day
to one week, though their worship focused on His passion and death, rather than the
Resurrection.26 Initially there was some discrepancy between the Church of Antioch (which
celebrated Easter on Passover, the 14th of Nissan, even if it was not a Sunday) and the Churches
of Rome and Alexandria (which set Easter as the Sunday following the Passover). The Council
of Nicea resolved this by setting its date as the latter.
During this time, the celebration of Holy Week began to be very common with the spread
of Christianity under Constantine the Great. Specific worship began to be tied to the City of
Jerusalem According to the history of the Church, Queen Helena, the mother of the Emperor
Constantine, visited Palestine in 326 on a mission to find the Holy Cross. After finding the Holy
Cross, the Emperor commanded a magnificent church, known as the Martyrium to be built there,
previously occupied by the temple of Venus. After discovering the tomb of Christ, nearby, they
built the great Church of the Resurrection, Anastasis.21 Other churches were also built at Mount
Zion, where Pentecost and Last Supper took place, and at Gethsemane.
Egeria, a Spanish nun who spent three years in the Middle east from 384 to 387, had
recorded on of the earliest accounts available of the Paschal tradition by early Christians in
Jerusalem. Egeria noted that in addition to the normal services which were augmented in any
case during the Lent, the following special services were conducted in Jerusalem during the
23 Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Book 5, §17, ANF, v. 7.

24 St. Hippolytus, Apostolic Tradition, Ch. 33., §§2-4.
25 High Wybrew, Orthodox Lent, Holy Week and Easter, SVS Press, 1997, pp. 6-7
26 Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, Easter in the Early Church, p. 15.
27 Wybrew, 7.
Page 21
fourth Century. These were collectively known as the “Great Week,” which began on the Friday
evening before Palm Sunday.28
According to Egeria, during the Last Friday of Lent, a vigil was held from Friday
evening to Saturday morning in the church on Mount Zion, ending with the Holy Eucharist. On
Saturday afternoon (Lazarus Saturday), the congregation would gather in Bethany at the church
built over the tomb in which tradition held Lazarus to have been buried, to commemorate the
raising of Lazarus. This the Church has also preserved in the form of Lazarus Saturday.
On Palm Sunday, the church commemorated our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem. In the
afternoon, services were held in the churches on the Mount of Olives. Afterwards, they made a
procession down to the Hedron Valley up to the city with people carrying palm branches.
The next three days, there was an additional service added. During Holy Monday this
extra service was held at Church of Martyrium where they read the gospel in which James and
John’s mother requested for her children to be honored on His right and left hand. On Holy
Tuesday, this special service was held in church in the Eleona, commemorating Christ’s last
discourse to the disciples. On Wednesday, after visiting the Anastasis, the gospel of the
anointing at Bethany.
On Holy Thursday, after usual morning service were conducted, there would be special
observance in the afternoon of our Lord’s betrayal, followed by commemoration of the Last
Supper with the Holy Eucharist: one in the Martyrium and the other immediately afterwards by
the Cross erected on the rock identified as Golgotha, included in one comer of the Martyrium.
After a quick meal, they held two more services, one in thq Elaona commemorating again
Christ’s last teaching, and the other in the Imbomon, remembering His arrest and trial.
The congregation then went down the Mount of Olives to the site of the Agony, and on to
Gethsemane. They then commemorated the trial before Pilate in the city, in courtyard called
“Before the Cross.”
On the early morning of Great Friday, they continued at Golgotha with the veneration of
the Cross. After three hours of gospel readings about the passion, they commemorated Christ’s
burial in the Anastasis. In the evening, they began a Paschal vigil with the Lucernarium (or
service of light), the usual evening service (now our Bright Saturday Service). This began with
the lighting of a lamp from the lamp burning perpetually in the cave of Christ’s burial and
resurrection.
While the readings of the vigil proper were going on in the Martyrium, the Catechumens
were receiving the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. At midnight they would be brought
into the Martyrium to join the rest of the congregation for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
Again, there were two celebrations of the Eucharist, one in the Martyrium and another
immediately following in the Anastasis.
By the twelfth century, Patriarch Gabriel III summoned a committee of scholars to

formulate a more organized service of readings and psalms. They included the signing of ea>K
T ef xom “Thine is the power” as well. The result was something very similar to the Pascha
book we use today in the Coptic Church, though it was much smaller. The text was written in
both Coptic and Arabic, though the Arabic was probably only used as a reference, not in the
28 These references taken from Wybrew, 7-9
Page 22
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church f
prayers.29 In the thirteenth century, Ibn A1 Assal wrote expositions to the gospel readings for
The Holy Pascha
each hour.
The above practices almost identically coincide with the practices of the Coptic Orthodox
Church today. From the celebration of the Last Friday of the Great Lent to the Liturgy of the
Eucharist for the Feast of Resurrection, the readings, celebrations and prayers are in line with the
Tradition which has been handed down from the Early Church.
The early Church had understood the great importance of Holy Week and took several
steps to devote this week to the Lord. The level of asceticism (fasting, prayer, metanoias, vigil)
was at its maximum. They only ate bread and salt, herbs and water, abstaining from any cooked
food or dessert (as mentioned in the Didascalia, above). They considered it inappropriate to taste
anything sweet while commemorating the suffering of the Lord and also tried to avoid the
distractions of cooking. Women did not wear jewelry or make up, and devoted all of their time
for worship and devotion. Most Christians also abstained from food from Great Friday until
Easter service, spending the whole week in the church.
Emperor Theodosius, a Christian king, ordered a universal holiday during this time so
that all those working within the government or private business sector could assemble in prayer
and devotion as one family. Masters alleviated their slaves from working during this week,
allowing them to worship in the Church. Prisoners were even set free to go to Church and join in
the ceremonial prayers.
Our blessed Church has set the schedule of prayers and readings to correspond with the
journey, the teaching, and the events which lead up to the Crucifixion. What was celebrated
throughout the city of Jerusalem was then replicated within the confines of the church building.
The hymns, sermons and meditations are so expositive that the catechumens used to learn the
entire story of Christ during this one week. Let us now explore the Pascha Week as it is today in
the Coptic Orthodox Church in more detail.
29 Due to the markings found in many of the texts, many scholars believe that in the liturgies, prayers, and services
only Coptic was used. The Arabic only remained as a reference for the people. Many claim that this was the
preference of Patriarch Gabriel.
Page 23
T he H oly W eek o f Pa s c h a T o p a y
Under the Old Testament law, the sin offering was to be burned outside of the camp so
that the camp would not be defiled by the sins of the congregations (Lev. 4:12, 21). In a similar
manner, Christ had taken away the sins of the world outside of Jerusalem.
The Church follows the example of the Old Testament and Christ’s sacrifice by
celebrating all of the prayers of Pascha outside of the altar and first section of the church. Since
the Lord Christ’s suffering and crucifixion took place outside o f Jerusalem, and the first section
of the church represents Jerusalem, the city of believers, we pray outside of this area. As St. Paul
explains, we go outside the camp: “Let us go forth therefore unto Him outside the camp bearing
His reproach. ” (Heb. 13:13). Additionally, the Old Testament sacrifices were burned outside of
the camp of Jerusalem, not only to illustrate the effects and depravity of sin, but also to alert the
people that he who does not offer such repentance will bum himself, in the lake of fire and
brimstone.30 As the lepers were required to remain outside of Jerusalem for a seven-day
cleansing period (Lev. 14:8-9), we too must stay outside the altar for this week to cleanse
ourselves in the tears of repentance.31
Therefore, during this week we do not go approach the sanctuary, for we remember how
the door to the heavens was closed before Crucifixion. When our Lord institutes the covenant
through the Holy Eucharist, we can enter into the Holy Altar, but only on this condition. For it is
through His suffering, that He gave us life with Him.
Additionally, black veils are placed on the pulpit, draped along the walls and wrapped
around the columns of the church. The atmosphere is transferred into one of intense mourning,
so that we may participate in the Lord’s sufferings. As St. Paul explained, “that I may know Him
and the power o f His Resurrection and the sharing o f His sufferings. ” (Philippians 3:10)
The Sacraments
Because the Church during Holy Week, the Church is focusing on the Passover and
suffering of our Lord, there is no raising of incense to be made during the first three days.
During this time, none of the sacraments are performed (except for the Sacrament of Repentance
and Confession). The first sacrament allowable outside of this is the Divine Liturgy celebrated
on Holy Thursday.
Consequently, the Church prepares the congregation for the lack of these sacraments by
having general services. The Sixth Sunday of Lent is also known as Baptism Sunday, where
most of the catechumens and children would be baptized so that they may receive communion
and prepare for Easter. In the Early Church, the Sacrament of baptism was performed on the
paschal night as an organic part of the celebration of Easter.32 There was much preparation for
these catechumens to be baptized and receive communion during this holiest week. Reading
Jonah for example prepares them to understand the meaning of three days and three nights in the
tomb, a symbol too of our death and resurrection with Him in baptism (Rom 6:4). There are
also great paradigms of Baptism which are contained in the readings, especially during Bright
Saturday such as the crossing of the Red Sea and the story of the Three Holy Youth.
30 Hegumen Bishoy Bushra, Holy Journey with our Lord Jesus Christ Through the Great Fast and Holy Week, St.
Mark’s Church, London, pp. 194-5.
31 Ibid.
32 Alexander Schmemman, On Water and Spirit, SYS Press, 7.
Page 24
On the Last Friday of Lent, a General Unction service is held. After a series of prayers
over Holy Oil, the priest anoints the congregation with the oil for the healing of their sicknesses
and diseases. Additionally, after Palm Sunday, there is a General Funeral Service. Only two
Divine Liturgies celebrated throughout the entire Pascha week: Holy Thursday and Bright
Saturday. Both the hymns prayers are limited to those events taking place before the
Resurrection.
The Hymns
Scholars recognize the earliest known Christian hymn as “The Great Hallel” that is
Halleluia, in the worship services of the early Christian Church, a hymn that was passed down
from Jewish worship services.33 According to this tradition, this early group Christians chose
this hymn because it was the same hymn sung by our Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples when
traveling from the Upper Room to Gethsemane (Matt. 26:30). This “Halleluia” was the opening
line of Psalm 113, “Praise the Lord,” the psalm which characterizes our Lord as the Savior of the
world, “high above all nations” (v. 4), the Lord our God (v. 5), and the One who raises the poor,
weak and sinful (v. 7). This, along with other hymns, was taken from Christian tradition and still
chanted in the Church today.
It has been said that the hymns of the Coptic Orthodox Church are among the oldest
ecclesiastical hymns still chanted today in the entire world—many of which melodies evolved
from Pharonic times. The service of the ritual is interspersed with a number of hymns of great
antiquity and amazing magnificence. The mournful tunes fill us with comfort and inner relief.
They lead man into impalpability and transcendence over worldliness to rest in the serenity and
peace of God. In addition to these hymns, most parts of the Holy Week service are set to plain
tunes—simple in their structure, but matchless in their penetration and their power to bring man
into the depth of devotion thereby filling him with celestial ecstasy.34
The Paschal doxology, Thine is the power, is perhaps the great hallmark of the entire
week. Its repetition leads to one of great depth and internal reflection. The church repeats this
one hymn twelve times in each hour to replace the twelve psalms for each prayer of the
canonical hour. The words of this doxology can be found in the book of Isaiah. Its words are
very simple, comprised of only twelve words in Coptic, thirteen in English. Not only is the
Paschal hymn a psalm of prayer, it is a historical sermon. It is a simple introduction, not only to
the prayer of our Heavenly Father, but into the life of dear Lord.
As our beloved pontiff, H.H. Pope Shenouda III writes:
The Lord Christ left Jerusalem to Bethany, were we follow Him, saying Thine is the
power, the Glory, the Blessing...The Chief Priests were annoyed when the Lord cleared the
Temple, and said “By what authority are you doing these things?” But we say Thine is the
power, the Glory, the Blessing, and the Majesty....Emanuel our God and our King”...They
planned to kill Him while we defend Him saying, “Thine is the power, the Glory, the Blessing. ”
The Lord in humility, bent to wash the Disciples’ feet, and we praise Him saying, “Thine is the
power and the Glory, the Blessing and the Majesty...” The Lord prayed at Gethsemane in such
agony that His sweat became as drops of blood and we proclaim, “Thine is the power and the
Glory, the Blessing and the Majesty...” We follow Him hour by hour; when arrested, put under
33 Daniel Liderbach, Christ in the Early Christian Hymns, Paulist Press, 1998, p. 42.
34 Dr. Ragheb Meftah, Introduction to the Holy Pascha CD by COEPA.
Page 25
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church V The Holy Pascha
trial in the presence of His enemies, crowned with thorns, flogged, falling under the Cross,
nailed, till He commended His Spirit into the hands of the Father and when He took the robber
on His right with Him into Paradise, and we continually chant unto Him the hymn, “Thine is the
power and the Glory, the Blessing and the Majesty, forever Amen”35
35 For a further explanation of this hymn, please see His Holiness Pope Shenouda’s wonderful book entitled, “Thine
is the Power and the Glory,” Cairo, 1992.
Treasures o f the Fathers of the Church V The Holy Pascha
C hapter 3
L a z a r u s Sa t u r d a y
*1mm A® Remrrection and the L ife.”(John 1125)

Hail to Lazarus: DCepe ft.&.za.poc: $He'ra.qT<»Nocq:
Whom He raised after four days: jUGNewca, qTOV wee/oor:
O my Lord Jesus: u e T O V N O C TT&e,HT HaJToic I h c o v c :
Raise my heart: $H eTra.q3oefieq nin8Te/tt)0V.
That was killed by the evil one.
Gospel Refrain for Lazarus Saturday^John 11)
Page 27
Located, just two miles from Jerusalem (John 11:18), on the south east slope of the
Mount of Olives, was the city of Bethany—the “town o f Mary and Martha ” (John 11:1).
Bethany was a place of great significance in the ministry of our Lord. Bethany means the house
of suffering and tolerance or the “House of Obedience”36 How fitting is it that He should return
to the house of Obedience for He had submitted Himself to death on the Cross? Here, He raised
Lazarus from the dead; here, He departed to enter Jerusalem; and here He ascended into the
heavens before His disciples (Luke 24:50).
On this day, Christ went to Bethany, where He resurrected Lazarus, the brother of Mary
and Martha (John 11). Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany37 where Lazarus
was, whom Christ had raised from the dead. There they made a supper for Him. Martha served,
Lazarus attended near Christ at the table, and Mary sat at His feet.
The resurrection of Lazarus is a prophesy not only the resurrection of the Lord, eight days
later, but also the resurrection of all the righteous on the last day, which begins the “eighth day”
of eternity. St. John Chrysostom tells us that “When Christ said ‘Behold' you are made whole,
sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you... He proclaimed beforehand the resurrection of
Lazarus and of the world.”55 Thus, the Church returns to this very same reading on the fourth
Sunday after the Feast of the Resurrection.
The Resurrection of Lazarus is the last and greatest miracle that our Lord performs before
His Crucifixion. Through this miracle, the Lord declares His complete humanity and perfect
divinity when He said, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. ” (Jn. 11:25). As man, Christ asked
where Lazarus was, wept for him, and asked for the people to roll the stone away for Him. Yet
as God, He raised Lazarus from the grave even though his body was probably decayed. As St.
Hilary of Poitiers states, “Is there any doubt that the glory of the Son of God is the glory of God,
when the death of Lazarus, which is glorious to God, glorifies the Son of God?”39
Church Tradition and Rites
The Church had designated the Saturday before Palm Sunday as the commemoration of
Lazarus by the end of the fourth century.40 It was on this Saturday that the Early Church began
to celebrate Holy Week in Jerusalem. It began with a service in the sanctuary called the
Lazarium, at Bethany.41 The Orthodox Church has preserved Lazarus Saturday as the important
link between the Great Lent and Holy Week. It is the day in which we celebrate both our death
and resurrection in the Resurrection and the Life.
The catechumens seeking to be baptized before Easter were taught the Creed during this
time. Appropriately, the final sentence of the Creed would be the theme of this day. For it is the
goal of the entire Holy Week, and Christianity itself, to “look for the Resurrection of the Dead
and the Life of the Coming Age.”
36 The Scholar Origen, Book 6, Ch. 24, ANF, v.10, p. 646.

37 In some older translations, the city of the Epiphany of our Lord and the declaration by St. John the Baptist in John
1, the city mentioned is Bethany, not Bethabara. But commentators such as Origen, St. John Chrysostom and others
pointed out that the city is actually Bethabara, and not Bethany. See, for example, Origen, Book 6, ANF, v.10, p.
645-7.
38 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on the Gospel of John 5, NPNF,s. 1,v. 14, p.323.
39 St. Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, NPNF, s. 2, v. 9, p. 458.
40 Wybrew, Hugh. Orthodox Lent, Holy Week and Easter, p. 81.
41 A Monk of the Eastern Church, The Year of Grace of the Lord, SYS Press, 1992, p. 161.
Page 28
This day is united closely with Palm Sunday: for at Bethany, Lazarus was raised and
Christ had also left for His departure into Jerusalem. It is the link between the life, death, and
resurrection of Lazarus and that of our Lord.
The hymns chanted during the Divine Liturgy are in the annual tune, noting a significant
shift from the Great Lent hymns. This annual tune prepares the congregation from the sad
hymns of the Great Lent for the festal hymns which they will hear the following day for Palm
Sunday. The same notion is later used in Bright Saturday to shift the hymns from the mourning
of Great Friday to the joyous Feast of the Resurrection.
During the evening service, special hymns and prayers are chanted. The Midnight
Psalmody begins with a long hymn (the same as the opening prayer of Kiyahk’s Psalmody).
Readings
Gen. 49:1-28, Is. 40:9-31; Zeph. 3:14-20; Zech. 9:9-15; John 11:1-44
In Matins of Lazarus Saturday, we read the last prophesies before celebrating Palm
Sunday. Because it is not customary in the Coptic rite to read from the Old Testament during
Feast Days, these prophesies regarding Palm Sunday are read here. However, because this
tradition does not exist in the other Orthodox churches, three of these readings are read during
regular vespers service for Palm Sunday.42
These four prophesies all relate to the entrance of the Lord during Palm Sunday, the
sufferings the Lord will endure during Holy Week, and the Sacrifice of the Lord’s Body and
Blood.
In Genesis, we read of the Lord as the Son of Judah, who will enter into Jerusalem on the
donkey and the colt; and who will have His garments full of wine and blood (Gen. 49:9-10). We
also declare with the prophet, that we will wait for our salvation that comes from Him as He rests
in the tomb (Gen. 49:18).
Isaiah declares of the mighty coming of the Lord, who will gather His sheep in His arm.
In Zephaniah, we read again that the Lord will come, this time with much joy and
singing, as if in a great festival. For He comes to give us victory, and to renew His love for us.
We are consoled by these words in the coming of the King of Glory.
Zechariah tells the famous prophesy of the Lord’s entrance on the coal and the donkey.
G enesis 49:l~28
And Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last
days: 2"Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father.
3"Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and
the excellency of power. 4Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father's bed; Then
you defiled it— He went up to my couch.
5"Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. 6Let not my soul enter
their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will
they hamstrung an ox. 7Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in
Jacob And scatter them in Israel.
8"Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
Your father's children shall bow down before you. 9Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have
gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? 10The scepter shall not depart
from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the
people. 11Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey's colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in
wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. 12His eyes are darker than wine, And his teeth whiter than milk.
42 The Greek Orthodox Church reads Gen. 49:1-2, 8-12; Zeph. 3:14-19; and Zech. 9:9-15. Monk from Eastern
Church, The Year of Grace of our Lord, SYS Press, p. 140.
Page 29
13"Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea; He shall become a haven for ships, And his border shall
adjoin Sidon.
14"Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between two burdens; 15He saw that rest was good, And that
the land was pleasant; He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden. And became a band of slaves.
16"Dan shall judge his people As one of the tribes of Israel. 17Dan shall be a serpent by the way, A viper
by the path, That bites the horse's heels So that its rider shall fall backward. 18I have waited for your salvation, O
Lord!
19"Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him, But he shall triumph at last.
20"Bread from Asher shall be rich, And he shall yield royal dainties.
21"Naphtali is a deer let loose; He uses beautiful words.
22"Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall. 23The archers
have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him. 24But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his
hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
25By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven
above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb. 26The blessings of your
father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on
the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.
27,'Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he shall devour the prey, And at night he shall divide the
spoil."
28A11 these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them;
he blessed each one according to his own blessing.
The brothers o f Judah
Who are the brothers who praised and adored Him but the apostles to whom the Lord
said, “Are you My brothers and coheirs?” [Mt. 12:50, Jn. 20:17, Rom. 8:17] When they said,
“Your hands are on the back o f your enemies” this can mean either of two things: by simply
stretching His hands on the Cross Christ was able in the course of the fight against His enemies,
to triumph over [invisible] powers. [Col. 2:15]. Or He has become the Lord and Master and
Judge of all those who were His enemies according to the flesh, after being set in this role by the
Father. [Jn. 5:22]
St. Hippolytus43
This text appears to be directed to the patriarch of Judah, indeed, but more so that later
Judah is meant, the true Confessor who was bom of that tribe and Who alone is praised by His
brothers; of them He says, “I will declare Your name to my brothers. ” [Ps. 21:23] He is the
Lord by nature but a brother by Grace. His hands which He stretched out to an unbelieving
people [Is. 65:2; Rom 10:11] are on the back of His enemies. For those whom same hands and
by that same passion Christ protected His own, subjugated hostile powers, and made subject to
Himself all people who were without faith and devotion. Of these the Father says to His Son,
“And You will rule in the midst o f Your enemies. ” [Ps. 109:2]...
St. Ambrose44
The Blood o f Grapesi45
What is the blood of wine, but the wine of the blood of the Lord?!
St. Cyprian
43 St. Hippolytus, On the Blessing of Isaac and Jacob, 16, AACS OT v.2, p. 326.
44 S t Ambrose, the Patriarchs 4.17, FC v. 65, p. 251.
45 The following excerpts from Fr. Tadros Commentary on Genesis.
Page 30
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church t
V The Holy Pascha
The vine produces wine, and the Word offers blood; both give health: the wine for the
body, and the blood for the Spirit.
St. Clement of Alexandria
What is this garment, that He washes in wine, namely in His blood, from sin, but the
Church?!... His eyes are red because of the wine; these are His spiritual people, who drink His
cup; and His teeth are whiter than milk; which is the words taken by the babes, who, as the
apostle says, are not still qualified for solid food (1 Corinthians 3: 2; 1 Peter 2: 2)].
St. Augustine
He calls both circumcised and uncircumcised peoples to one faith]. This, and the garment
of Christ, refers to the Church, attached to Him, as what we saw in our talk on the colored tunic
(Gen. 37: 3); that garment, that was washed by the Lord in His pure blood... ’’His eyes are
darker than wine, and His teeth whiter than milk” (Gen. 49: 12)...His eyes glow, as though by
the word of truth, watching what is believed; and his teeth are whiter than milk, expressing the
strength of His illuminating words. That is why he described them as white, and compared them
to milk, that nourishes the body and soul...What are the eyes of Christ, but the prophets who
prophesied by the Spirit, and proclaimed in advance, the passions that He would suffer; and
rejoiced, as they clearly saw Him, through the spiritual insight, getting revived by His word and
grace?... And the milk refers to the commandments, coming from the mouth of Holy Christ, pure
as milk.
St. Hippolytus
Is a ia h 4 0:9~3 1
O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good
tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"
10Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is
with Him, And His work before Him. 11He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with
His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.
12Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated
the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? 13Who has directed
the Spirit of the L o r d , Or as His counselor has taught Him? 14With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed
Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of
understanding? 15Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales;
Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. 16And Lebanon is not sufficient to bum, Nor its beasts sufficient for
a burnt offering. 17All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and
worthless. 18To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? 19The workman molds
an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains. 20Whoever is too
impoverished for such a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To
prepare a carved image that will not totter.
21 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not
understood from the foundations of the earth? 12It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants
are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
23He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless.
24Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the
earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.
25"To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?" says the Holy One. 26Lift up your eyes on high,
And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the
greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.
Page 31
27Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the L o r d , And my just claim is
passed over by my God"? 28Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the L o r d , The
Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29He gives
power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30Even the youths shall faint and be
weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31But those who wait on the L ord Shall renew their strength; They
shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
He does not just care for us, but loves us without limits, a flaring unquenchable holy
love, and a truly unbreakable strong love.
The prophet responds to those who got depressed and moaned: “The Lord has forsaken
me, the Lord has forgotten m e” by saying, “can a mother forget the baby at her breast, and have
no compassion on the child she has borne? ” If it is not possible for a mother to forget her baby,
it is much more so with God, who can never forget humanity. He does not mean to compare
God’s love to mother’s love for her baby, as God’s love is definitely greater; that is why he says,
“Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. ” (Is. 49: 15)
See how God’s love surpasses mothers’ love? The Lord of prophets and the Master of all
confirms that His love is stronger than that of a father toward his children... Listen to what He
says, “What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if
he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? I f you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts
to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those
who ask Him” (Mt. 7: 9-11)?Like the difference between good and evil, so God’s love is far
stronger than feelings of parents toward their children.
St. John Chrysostom46
Zephaniah 3 :14-20
Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of
Jerusalem! 15The L o r d has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the L o r d ,
is in your midst; You shall see disaster no more.
16In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. 17The L o r d
your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you
with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." 18"I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed
assembly, Who are among you, To whom its reproach is a burden. 19Behold, at that time I will deal with all who
afflict you; I will save the lame, And gather those who were driven out; I will appoint them for praise and fame
In every land where they were put to shame. 20At that time I will bring you back, Even at the time I gather you; For
I will give you fame and praise Among all the peoples of the earth, When I return your captives before your eyes,"
Says the L o r d .
Take heart, O Jerusalem, the Lord will take away your iniquities. The Lord will wash
away the filth of His sons and daughters by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning. [Is.
4:4] He will pour upon you clean water and you will be cleansed from all your sins. [Ezek.
36:25] Choiring angels shall encircle you, chanting, “Who is it that comes up all white and
leaning upon her beloved? ” [Song 8:5] For the soul that was formerly a slave has now accounted
its Lord as its kinsman, and He, acknowledging its sincere purpose, will answer, “Oh, you are
beautiful, My beloved. Oh, you are beautiful.. .your teeth are like a flock of ewes to be shorn” --
a sincere confession is a spiritual shearing. And further "all o f them big with twins” [Song 4:1-
2] signifying the twofold grace either that perfected by water and the Spirit or that announced in
the Old and New Testaments. God granted that all of you, your course of fasting finished,
mindful of the teaching, fruitful in good works, standing blameless before the spiritual
46 On Providence, Fr. Tadros Malaty Commentary on Isaiah..
Page 32
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church 4 The Holy Pascha
bridegroom, may obtain the remission of sins from God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Whom be
the glory forever and ever, Amen.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem47
[This passage] clearly commands Jerusalem to rejoice exceedingly, to be especially glad,

to cheer up wholeheartedly as its trespasses are wiped out, evidentially through Christ. The
spiritual and holy Zion—that is the Church, the holy multitude of the believers—is justified in
Christ and only in Him. By Him and through Him we are also saved as we escape from the harm
of the invisible enemies, for we have a Mediator who was incarnated in our form, the King of all,
that is the Word of God the Father. Thanks to Him, we do not see evil anymore, for we have
been delivered from the power s of evil. He is the armor of good will, the peace, the wall, the
one who bestows incorruption, the arbiter of the crowns, Who shut down the war of the
incorporeal Assyrians and made void the schemes of the demons.
lECHARIAH
’’Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming
to you; He is just and having salvation Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. 10I will cut
off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to
the nations; His dominion shall be 'from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.
1 lnAs for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless
pit. 12Retum to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you. 13For
I have bent Judah, My bow, Fitted the bow with Ephraim, And raised up your sons, O Zion, Against your sons, O
Greece, And made you like the sword of a mighty man."
14Then the L o r d will be seen over them, And His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord G od
will blow the trumpet, And go with whirlwinds from the south. 15The L or d of hosts will defend them They shall
devour and subdue with slingstones. They shall drink and roar as if with wine; They shall be filled with blood
like basins, Like the comers of the altar.
Zechariah, one of the twelve prophets, predicted [our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem] when
he said, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter o f Zion; shout for joy, O daughter o f Jerusalem. Behold,
your king will come to you, the just and the Savior; meek an lowly, riding upon a donkey, and
upon the foal o f a donkey. ” The prophetic spirit, as well as the patriarch Jacob, mentioned the
donkey, an animal accustomed to the yoke, and its foal, which were in his possession. Then He
asked His disciples, as I have said before, to lead the beasts to Him. This constituted a prediction
that both you coming from the synagogue and those who would come from the Gentiles would
believe in Him. As the unharnessed foal was a figure of the former Gentiles, so the donkey,
accustomed to the yoke; was a symbol of those coming from among people.
St. Justin Martyr49
But how, after not walking openly among the Jews and retiring into the wilderness does
Jesus again enter openly? Having quenched their anger by retiring, He comes to them when they
were stilled. Moreover the multitude which went before and which followed after was sufficient
to cast them into agony; for no sign attracted the people as that of Lazarus. And another
Evangelist says that they threw their garments under His feet [Mt. 21:8] and that “the whole city
was moved” [Mt. 21:10] with so great honor when He entered. And this He did, prefiguring one
47 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 3:16, FC, v. 61, pp. 117-118.
48 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Zephaniah, PG v. 71, pp. 10-13-1016, AACS v. 14, p. 218.
49 St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 53:2, AACS v. 14, p. 258.
prophesy and fulfilling another; and the same act was the beginning of this one and the end of the
other. For “rejoice, for Your King comes unto You meek” belonged to Him as fulfilling a
prophesy, but the sitting upon the donkey was the act of one prefiguring a future event, that He
was about to have the impure race of the Gentiles subject to Him.
John lh U4 4
Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2It was that
Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.
3Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” 4When Jesus heard that, He
said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5N o w Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days
in the place where He was. 7Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” sThe disciples said
to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?” 9Jesus answered, “Are there
not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
10But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11These things He said, and after that
He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” 12Then His disciples said, “Lord, if
he sleeps he will get well.” 13However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking
rest in sleep. 14Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15And I am glad for your sakes that I was not
there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” 16Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his
fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”
17So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18Now Bethany was near
Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to
comfort them concerning their brother. 20Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met
Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21Then Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would
not have died. 22But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise again.” 24Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last
day.” 25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall
live. 26And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I
believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
28And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The
Teacher has come and is calling for you.” 29As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30Now
Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31Then the Jews who were with
her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying,
“She is going to the tomb to weep there.” 32Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at
His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33Therefore, when Jesus
saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34And He
said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35Jesus wept. 36Then the Jews said,
“See how He loved him!” 37And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also
have kept this man from dying?”
38Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39Jesus
said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a
stench, for he has been dead four days.” 40Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you
would see the glory of God?” 41Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And
Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42And I know that You always hear
Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43Now
when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44And he who had died came out
bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and
let him go.”
50 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on John 66.1, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 245
Page 34
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church I The Holy Pascha
Why iM Christ wait tim days t®learn Jerusalem, instead o f going immediately t&Lazarus?
Why did He delay? So that Lazarus might breathe his last, and be buried; that none might
be able to assert that He restored him when not yet dead, saying that it was an exhaustion, a
fainting, a fit, but not death. On this account He tarried so long, that corruption began, and they
said, “He now stinks. ”
Why Four Days?
After four days there was great corruption of the body: Four days had already passed
since the event. All due rites had been performed for the departed. The body was hidden in the
tomb—it was probably already swollen and beginning to dissolve into corruption, as the body
moldered in the damp earth and necessarily decayed. The thing was one to turn from, as the
dissolved body under the constraint of nature changed to offensiveness.
St. Gregory of Nyssa52
[The four days means the four-fold progress of sin]. For there is first the provocation as
it were of pleasure in the heart, secondly consent, thirdly the overt act, fourthly the habit.
St. Augustine53
Now in the case of Lazarus, (which we may take as) the victorious instance of a
resurrection, the flesh lay prostrate in weakness, the flesh was almost putrid in the dishonor of its
decay, the flesh stank in corruption, and yet it was as flesh that Lazarus rose again — with his
soul, no doubt. But that soul was incorrupt; nobody had wrapped it in its linen swathes; nobody
had deposited it in a grave; nobody had yet perceived it “stink;” nobody for four days had seen it
“sown.”
Tertullian54
WhM is the meaning of the stench?
He that woke Lazarus who was four days dead and already stank, shall He not, O man,
much more easily raise you who are alive? He who shed His precious blood for us, shall Himself
deliver us from sin.
You have heard the loud voice, Lazarus, come forth, as you lay in the tomb. You also
were loosed from the bonds of your grave clothes—however, not after four days, but after many
days. Do not again become dead, nor live with those who dwell in the tombs; nor bind yourself
with the bonds of your own sins; for it is uncertain whether you will rise again from the tomb till
51 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 62 on John 11:1-2, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 515.

52 St. Gregory of Nyssa, Note on the Treatise On the Making of Man, NPNF, s. 2, v. 5, p. 814.
53 St. Augustine, Sermon 48, NPNF, s.l, v.6, p. 885.
54 Tertullian, ANF, v. 8, p. 1098.
55 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Lecture 2: On Repentance and Remission of Sins, and Concerning the Adversary, NPNF, s.
2, v. 7, p. 127.
Page 35
the last and universal resurrection, which will bring every work into judgment, not to be healed,
but to be judged, and to give account of all which for good or evil it has treasured up.
St. Gregory Nazianzen56
What, then, we read concerning Lazarus we should to believe of every sinner who is
converted, who, though he may have been stinking, nevertheless is cleansed by the precious
ointment of faith. For faith has such grace that there where the dead stank the day before, now
the whole house is filled with good odor.
St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan57
Why did Gad allow Lazarus, Mary Martha* to suffer i f Me loved them?
Many men, when they see any of those who are pleasing to God suffering anything
terrible, as, for example, having fallen into sickness, or poverty, etc., and are offended, not
knowing that to those especially dear to God it belongs to endure these things; since Lazarus also
was one of the friends of Christ, and was sick....[But God allowed that this should happen so
that] we should never be discontented or vexed if any sickness happen to good men, and such as
are dear to God.
Why did Christ weep?
He is stoned, but is not taken. He prays, but He hears prayer. He weeps, but He causes
tears to cease. He asks where Lazarus was laid, for He was Man; but He raises Lazarus, for He
was God.
In short, our Savior wept with Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, and proved the
feeling of infinite compassion within him by the witness of his tears. But works, as the proofs of
true affection soon followed, when Lazarus, for whose sake the tears were shed, was raised up
and restored to his sisters. This was sincerely to weep with those who wept, when the occasion of
the weeping was removed.60
Sulptitus Severus61
But if we do not understand the mystery of His tears, hunger, and thirst, let us remember
that He Who wept also raised the dead to life: that He did not weep for the death of
Lazarus, but rejoiced; that He Who thirsted, gave from Himself rivers of living water. He could
not be parched with thirst, if He was able to give the thirsty drink. Again, He Who hungered
56 St. Gregory Nazianzen , Oration on Holy Baptism, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, pp. 720-1.

57 St. Ambrose, Concerning Repentance, Book 2, Ch. 7, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10, p. 827.
58 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 62 on John 11:1,2, NPNF, s.l, v. 14, pp.514-5.
59 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Third Theological Oration, NPNF, s.2, v.7, p. 602.
60 Sulptitus Severus, Letter 2: Concerning Virginity, NPNF, s. 2, v. 11, p. 131.
61 Sulptitus Severus was thus a contemporary of the two great Fathers of the Church, St. Jerome and St. Augustine,
was bom in Aquitania about A.D. 363. St. Augustine refers to him in his commentary of the 36th chapter of Ezekiel
as “our friend Severus” and in his 205th letter “a man excelling in learning and wisdom.” The Life and Writings of
Sulptitus Seversus, NPNF, s. 2, v. 11, pp. 5-8.
Page 36
could condemn the tree which offered no fruit for His hunger: but how could His nature be
overcome by hunger if He could strike the green tree barren by His word?
St. Hilary of Poitiers62
What was there to weep for in the case of Lazarus? Not his death, for that was not unto
death, but for the glory of God: for the Lord says, 'That sickness is not unto death, but for the
glory o f God, that the Son o f God may be honored through him. ’ The death which was the cause
of God’s being glorified could not bring sorrow and tears. Nor was there any occasion for
tears in His absence from Lazarus at the time of his death. He says plainly, “Lazarus is dead,
and I rejoice for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent that you may believe. ” His absence
then, which aided the Apostles’ belief, was not the cause of His sorrow: for with the knowledge
of Divine omniscience, He declared the death of the sick man from afar. We can find, then, no
necessity for tears, yet He wept. And again I ask, to whom must we ascribe the weeping? To
God, or the soul, or the body? The body, of itself, has no tears except those it sheds at the
command of the sorrowing soul. Far less can God have wept, for He was to be glorified in
Lazarus. Nor is it reason to say His soul recalled Lazarus from the tomb: can a soul linked to a
body, by the power of its command, call another soul back to the dead hotly from which it has
departed? Can He grieve Who is about to be glorified? Can He weep Who is about to restore the
dead to life? Tears are not for Him Who is about to give life, or grief for Him Who is about to
receive glory. Yet He Who wept and grieved was also the Giver of life.
And what wonder if He grieved for all, Who wept for one? What wonder if, in the hour of
death, He is heavy for all, Who wept when at the point to raise Lazarus from the dead? Then,
indeed, He was moved by a loving sister’s tears, for they touched His human heart, — here by
secret grief He brought it to pass that, even as His death made an end of death, and His stripes
healed our scars, so also His sorrow took away our sorrow.
It is not the human nature which raises Lazarus to life. It is not the impassable power
which sheds tears over the dead. The tear belongs to the man; the life comes from the very life.
The thousands are not fed by human poverty; omnipotence does not hasten to the fig tree. Who
was weary in the way, and who by His word sustains all the world without being weary? What is
the brightness of His glory, what was pierced by the nails? What form is smitten in the passion,
what is glorified for everlasting? The answer is plain and needs no interpretation.
These tears are related to those of the sinful woman. For by her tears she attracted the
Word from heaven, who was with tears to raise the dead Lazarus.
St. Hippolytus 66
The Lord Himself wept for that same Lazarus, whom He was going to bring back from
death; wherein doubtless He by His example permitted, though He did not by any precept enjoin,
62 St. Hilary of Poitiers, NPNF, s. 2, v. 9, p.506.

64 St. Ambrose, Exposition of the Christian Faith, Book 2, Chapter 7, NPNF, s.2, v.10, p.553.
65 St. Gregory of Nyssa, NPNF, s. 2, v. 3, p. 496-7.
66 St. Hippolytus, Fragments On Susanna, VI, ANF, v. 5, p. 405
Page 37
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church i The Holy Pascha
the shedding of tears over the graves even of those regarding whom we believe that they shall
rise again to the true life. Nor is it without good reason that Scripture says in the book of
Ecclesiasticus: “Let tears fall down over the dead’ and begin to lament as if you have suffered
great harm yourself; ” but adds, a little further on, this counsel, “and then comfort yourselffor
your heaviness. For o f heaviness comes death, and the heaviness o f the heart breaks strength. ”
St. Augustine67
When [He was about] to raise Lazarus He even shed tears, that He earnestly desired to eat
the Passover with His disciples, that as His passion drew near His soul was sorrowful, these
emotions are certainly not falsely ascribed to Him. But as He became man when it pleased
Him, so, in the grace of His definite purpose, when it pleased Him He experienced those
emotions in His human soul.
St. Augustine68
Why did He raise Lazarus, i f he would die again?
But it was not only by word, but also by deed, that the Lord revealed the resurrection of
the bodies. First He raised up Lazarus, even after he had been dead four days, and was stinking.
For He did not raise the soul without the body, but the body along with the soul: and not another
body but the very one that was corrupt. For how could the resurrection of the dead man have
been known or believed if it had not been established by his characteristic properties? But it was
in fact to make the divinity of His own nature manifest and to confirm the belief in His own and
our resurrection, that He raised up Lazarus who was destined once more to die. And the Lord
became Himself the first-fruits of the perfect resurrection that is no longer subject to death
Wherefore also the divine Apostle Paul said: “But if there is no resurrection o f the dead, then
Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also
empty. ” (1 Cor. 15:13-14). Now Christ risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them
that slept, and the first-born pyre69 the dead. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.”
St. John of Damascus70
Why did Christ ask the onlookers to loosen the bands and roll away the stone? I f He had the
power to raise the dead, why didn yt He do these things as well?
Can it be that He Who could restore the Spirit could not remove the stone; or He Who
made the bound to walk could not burst the bonds; or He Who had shed light upon the covered
eyes could not uncover the face; or He Who could renew the course of nature could not cleave
the stone?! No.
He asked them to do these things so that those who could not believe with their
hearts may believe with their eyes. He did this so that when they removed the stone, when
they see the corpse, when they smell the stench, when they loosen the grave cloths, they
cannot deny that the he who is now alive was truly dead. They saw, with their own eyes, the
signs of death and the evidence of life.
67 St. Augustine, Letter 263, NPNF, s. 1, v. 1.

68 St. Augustine, The City of God, Book 14, Ch. 9, NPNF, s.l, v.2, p. 587.
69 The pile of wood on which a dead body is burned in a funeral rite (Websters)
70 St. John of Damascus, The Orthodox Faith, Book 4, Ch. 27: Concerning the Resurrection, NPNF, s.2, v. 9, p. 872.
Page 38
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church * The Holy Pascha
For, while they work, they are converted by the very work itself. While they hear, they
believe their own ears. While they behold, they are taught by their own eyes. While they loosen
the bonds, they free their own minds. While Lazarus is being unbound, the people are set free.
While they let Lazarus go, they themselves return to the Lord. For, many who had come to
Mary, seeing what had taken place, believed.
Why did Christ need to pray to the Father i f He was God, Himself?
He gives thanks for our sakes, lest we should suppose that the Father and the Son
are one and the same Person when we hear of one and the same work being wrought by the
Father and the Son. He also shows us that His giving of thanks had not been the tribute due from
one lacking in power. On the contrary, He, as the Son of God, cried out “Lazarus, come forth. ”
to forever claim for Himself the possession of divine authority. Surely, this the voice of
command, not of prayer.
Prayer is an uprising of the mind to God or a petitioning of God for what is fitting. Why
then did our Lord offer up prayer in the case of Lazarus and at the hour of His passion? For His
holy mind was neither in need of any uprising to God--since it had been once and for all united
in subsistence with the God Word—nor of any petitioning of God. For Christ is one. But it was
because He appropriated to Himself our personality and took our impress on Himself, and
became an example for us. He taught us to ask of God and strive towards Him. He guided us
through His own holy mind in the way that leads up to God. For just as He endured the
passion—achieving for our sakes a triumph over it—so also He offered up prayer, guiding us, as
I said, in the way that leads up to God, and “fulfilling all righteousness ” on our behalf as He said
to John (Mt. 3:15) and reconciling His Father to us, and honoring Him as the beginning and
cause, and proving that He is no enemy of God. For when He said in connection with Lazarus,
Father, I thank You for You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because
o f the people which stand by I said this, that they may believe that You have sent Me, ’ (John
11:41-42). He forever claimed for Himself the possession of divine authority.
He prayed then for us, that we may know Him to be the Son; the words of prayer
availed Him nothing, but He said them for the advancement of our faith. He was not in want of
help, but we of teaching. He prayed to be glorified; and immediately they heard the voice of
God the Father from heaven glorifying Him. But when they wondered at the voice, He said,
“This voice did not come because o f Me, but for your sake. ” (John 12:30). The Father is
besought for us, He speaks for us...
71 St. Ambrose, On the Belief in the Resurrection, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10, p. 466 (edited).
72 St. Ambrose of Milan, Of the Christian Faith, Book 4, Ch. 6, NPNF, s. 2, v.10, p. 643. (emphasis added).
73 St. John of Damascus, Book 3, NPNF, s. 2, v. 9, p. 801 (emphasis added).
Page 39
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church .1 The Holy Pascha
What is the difference between the resurrection o f Lazarus and that o f Christ?
The resurrection of Christ, and not of Lazarus, corresponds to that which is promised,
because Lazarus was so raised that he died a second time, whereas of Christ it is written:
“Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more; death has no more dominion over Him. ”
(Rom. 6:9) The same is promised to those who shall rise at the end of the world and shall reign
forever with Christ. As to the difference in the manner of Christ’s generation and that of other
men, this has no bearing upon the nature of His Resurrection, just as it had none upon the nature
of His death, so as to make it different from ours. His death was no less real because He was not
begotten by an earthly father; just as the difference between the mode of the origination of the
body of the first man, who was formed immediately from the dust of the earth, and of our bodies,
which we derive from our parents, made no such difference as that his death should be of another
kind than ours. As, therefore, difference in the mode of birth does not make any difference in the
nature of death, neither does it make any difference in the nature of resurrection.
St. Augustine75
What is the Importance o f the Bands?
Most of the fathers interpret these bands as the bonds of sin which still afflict the person
who rose from the dead in baptism. Therefore he needs the priests, the disciples of Christ, to
“unloose” him through the Absolution prayer. For they were given the authority that, “Whatever
you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.” (Matt. 16:19). Thus, the figure of Lazarus
represents our need to be freed from sin. Even his the name “Lazarus, ” at St. Augustine points
out, suitably means “he who is aided. ”16 The other reason mentioned by the fathers is that the
bonds and stench were necessary to prove that he was actually dead, so no one could doubt the
work of God.
That was to manifest the reality of his death, so no one would think that this was
deception with previous arrangement, for that the miracle was magnified and many believed.
Coptic Synexarium, 17th Day of the Blessed Month of Baramhat
Lazarus comes forth, but with his bands. He was alive already through confession, but he
did not yet walk free, entangled as he was in his bands. What then does the Church to which it
was said, “Whatever you loose, shall be loosened; ” but what the Lord said to His disciples,
“Loose him, and let him go ”?
St. Augustine77
If you have confessed at the call of Christ, the bars will be broken and every chain
loosed, even at the grave stench of the bodily corruption. For he had been dead four days and his
flesh stank in the tomb. But He Whose flesh saw no corruption was in the sepulcher for three
days and knew no evils of the flesh, which consists of the substances of the four elements.
However great, then, the stench of the dead body may be, it is all done away so soon as the
sacred ointment has shed its odor; and the dead rises again, and the command is given to loose
75 St. Augustine, Letter 102 (409 AD), NPNF, s. 1, v. 1, p. 824.

76 St. Augustine, Contemplation on Psalm 70, NPNF, s.l, v.8, p. 688.
77 St. Augustine, Sermon 17, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6, p. 654.
Page 40
his hands who till now was in sin; the covering is taken from his face which veiled the truth
of the grace which he had received. But since he has received forgiveness, the command is
given to uncover his face, to lay bare his features. For he whose sin is forgiven has nothing to be
ashamed of.
He came forth from the tomb alive, but he could not walk. And the Lord said to the
disciples; “Loose him, and let him go. ” (John 11:44). He raised him from the dead, they loosed
him from his bonds...Sinners displeased with themselves may determine to change their life.
Though they may have risen from the dead of their sin, they are still unable to walk because they
are tied down by the bands of their guilt. Thus, whoever has returned to life should be loosed,
and let go. So, He gave the disciples this authority when He said, “Whatever you bind on earth
will be bound in heaven. ” (Matt. 16:19).
St. Augustine79
What was the purpose o f this miracle? Why was this the last miracle o f our Lord?
He who gave the command is Jesus Christ, the Power of God, the Life, the Light, the
Resurrection of the dead. The Power raised up him that was lying prostrate; the Life produced
his steps; the Light drove away the darkness and restored his sight, the Resurrection renewed the
gift of life.
...to make the divinity of His own nature manifest and to confirm the belief in His own
and our resurrection, that He raised up Lazarus who was destined once more to die.
“The Stages o f Sin” by S t Augustine 82
Now we find that three dead persons were raised by the Lord “visibly,” thousands
“invisibly.” No, who knows even how many dead He raised visibly? For all the things that He
did are not written. John tells us this, “Many other things Jesus did, the which if they should be
written, I suppose that the whole world could not contain the books. ” So then there were without
doubt many others raised: but it is not without a meaning that the three are expressly recorded.
For our Lord Jesus Christ would that those things which He did on the body should be also
spiritually understood. For He did not merely do miracles for the miracles’ sake; but in order that
the things which He did should inspire wonder in those who saw them, and convey truth to them
who understand... thus our Lord Jesus Christ performed miracles [so] that by those miracles He
might signify something further, that besides that they were wonderful and great, and divine in
themselves, we might learn also something from them.
These three kinds of dead persons, are three kinds of sinners whom even at this day
Christ raises.. .For that dead daughter of the ruler of the synagogue was within in the house, she
78 St. Ambrose, On the Duties of the Clergy, Book 4, Ch. 7, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10, p. 826.
79 St. Augustine, Sermon 48, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6, p. 885. (This passage was summarized and heavily edited due to its
complexity).
80 St. Ambrose, On the Belief in the Resurrection, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10, p. 466.
81 St. John of Damascus, On the Lord’s Praying, NPNF, s. 2, v. 9, p. 872.
82 St. Augustine, Sermon 48, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6.
Page 41
had not yet been carried out from the secrecy of its walls into public view. She was raised within
and restored alive to her parents. But the second was not now indeed in the house, but still not
yet in the tomb, he had been carried out of the walls, but not committed to the ground. He who
raised the dead maiden who was not yet carried out, raised this dead man who was now carried
out, but not yet buried. There remained a third case, that He should raise one who was also
buried; and this He did in Lazarus.
There are then those who have sin inwardly in the heart, but have it not yet in overt act. A
man, for instance, is disturbed by any lust. For the Lord Himself said, “Whoever looks on a
woman to lust after her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart ” He has not yet in
body approached her, but in heart he has consented; he has one dead within, he has not yet
carried him out. And as it often happens, as we know, as men daily experience in themselves,
when they hear the word of God, as if it were the Lord saying, “Arise; ” the consent unto sin is
condemned, they breathe again unto saving health and righteousness. The dead man in the house
arises, the heart revives in the secret of the thoughts. This resurrection of a dead soul takes place
within, in the retirement of the conscience, as it were within the walls of the house.
Others after consent proceed to overt act, carrying out the dead as it were, that that which
was concealed in secret, may appear in public. Are these now, who have advanced to the
outward act, past hope? Was it not said to the young man in the Gospel also, “I say to you,
Arise”! Was he not also restored to his mother? So then he too who has committed the open act,
if haply admonished and aroused by the word of truth, he rise again at the Voice of Christ, is
restored alive. Go so far he could, perish for ever he could not.
But they who by doing what is evil, involve themselves even in evil habit, so that this
very habit of evil suffers them not to see that it is evil, become defenders of their evil deeds; are
angry when they are found fault with; to such a degree, that the men of Sodom of old said to the
righteous man who reproved their abominable design, “You have come to sojourn, not to give
laws. ” So powerful in that place was the habit of abominable filthiness, that licentiousness now
passed for righteousness, and the hinderer of it was found fault with rather than the doer. Such as
these pressed down by evil habit, are as it were buried. What can I say, Brethren? In such sort
buried, as was said of Lazarus, “By this time he stinks. ” That heap placed upon the grave, is this
stubborn force of habit, whereby the soul is pressed down, and is not suffered either to rise, or
breathe again.
Now it was said, “He has been dead four days. ” So in truth the soul arrives at that habit,
of which I am speaking by a kind of four-fold progress. For there is first the provocation as it
were of pleasure in the heart, secondly consent, thirdly the overt act, fourthly the habit. For
there are those who so entirely throw off things unlawful from their thoughts, as not even to feel
any pleasure in them. There are those who do feel the pleasure, and do not consent to them; death
is not yet perfected, but in a certain sort begun. To the feeling of pleasure is added consent; now
at once is that condemnation incurred. After the consent, progress is made unto the open act; the
act changes into a habit; and a sort of desperate condition is produced, so as that it may be said,
“He has been deadfour days, by this time he stinks. ”
Therefore, the Lord came, to whom of course all things were easy; yet He found in that
case as it were a kind of difficulty. He “groaned ” in the spirit, He showed that there is need of
much and loud remonstrance to raise up those who have grown hard by habit. Yet at the voice of
the Lord’s cry, the bands of necessity were burst asunder. The powers of hell trembled, and
Lazarus is restored alive. For the Lord delivers even from evil habits those who “have been dead
four days;” for this man in the Gospel, “who had been dead four days,” was asleep only in
respect of Christ whose will it was to raise him again. But what did He say? Observe the manner
of his arising again.
He came forth from the tomb alive, but he could not walk. And the Lord said to the
disciples; “Loose him, and let him go. ” He raised him from death; they loosed him from his
bonds. Observe how there is something which pertains to the special Majesty of God who
resurrects. A man involved in an evil habit is rebuked by the word of truth. How many are
rebuked, and give no ear! Who is it then who deals within with him who does give ear? Who
breathes life into him within? Who is it who drives away the unseen death, gives the life unseen?
After rebukes, after arguments, are not men left alone to their own thoughts, do they not begin to
turn over in their minds how evil a life they are living, with how very bad a habit they are
weighed down? Then displeased with themselves, they determine to change their life. Such have
risen again; they to whom what they have been is displeasing have revived: but though reviving,
they are not able to walk. These are the bands of their guilt. Need then there is, that whoso has
returned to life should be loosed, and let go. This office has He given to the disciples to whom
He said, “Whatsoever you shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven also.”
Let us then, dearly Beloved, hear these things so that those who are alive may live and
those who are dead may live again. Whether it be that as yet the sin has been conceived in the
heart, and not come forth into open act; let the thought be repented of, and corrected, let
the dead within the house of conscience arise. Or whether he has actually committed what he
thought of; let not even thus his case be despaired of. The dead within has not arisen, let him
arise when “he is carried out. ” Let him repent him of his deed, let him at once return to life; let
him not go to the depth of the grave, let him not receive the load of habit upon him. But perhaps
I am now speaking to one who is already pressed down by this hard stone of his own habit, who
is already laden with the weight of custom, who “has been in the grave four days already, and
who stinks. ” Yet let not even him despair; he is dead in the depth below, but Christ is exalted on
high. He knows how by His cry to burst asunder the burdens of earth, He knows how to restore
life within by Himself, and to deliver him to the disciples to be loosed. Let even such as these
repent. For when Lazarus had been raised again after the four days, no foul smell remained in
him when he was alive. So then let them who are alive, still live; and let them who are dead,
whoever they be, in whatever kind of these three deaths they find themselves, see to it that they
rise again at once with all speed.
What happened to Lazarus afterwards?
The Coptic Synexarium tells us that Lazarus of Bethany was ordained by the Apostles as
the bishop over Cyprus after Pentecost and departed after living forty years.83 We commemorate
his departure on the Seventeenth Day of the Blessed month of Baramhat. But how he departed
was not mentioned in either the gospels or the Synexarium.
What is mentioned in both is that many sought to kill him after his resurrection. But how
he departed again is questioned. After the Resurrection of Lazarus, the gospel tells us that a
crowd of Jews gathered at Lazarus’ house at Bethany to see both Christ and Lazarus: “So the
chiefpriests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many o f
the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. ” (John 12:9-11).The Coptic Synexarium
states the same.84
83 27 of Bashans, Coptic Synexarium. However, according to an old tradition of Epiphanius, Lazarus was thirty
years old when restored to life and lived thirty years afterwards. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary. Originally
published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois; citing Epiphanies, (Hoer 66.34, p. 652); G.H. Trever, “Lazarus,”
International Bible Encyclopedia.
84 21st of Baramhat, Coptic Synexarium.
Although the gospels do not tell us much more of the plots to kill Lazarus, some believe
that they were satisfied with the death of Christ and no longer sought after him. However, other
legends evolved as well. One legend, which first appeared in an 11th Century manuscript,
explains that the jealous Jews put Lazarus, his sisters, and some other Christians out to sea in a
vessel without sails, oars, or helm. After a miraculous voyage, they landed in Provence85 at a
place called today the Saintes-Maries. It is related that they separated there to go and preach the
Gospel in different parts of the southeast of Gaul.86
According to this legend, Lazarus went to Marseilles, converted a number of its
inhabitants to Christianity, and became their first pastor. During the first persecution under Nero
he supposedly hid himself in a crypt.87 In a second persecution under Domitian, he was
imprisoned, beheaded in a cave below the prison, and buried in the same crypt he hid himself in
earlier.88 His body was later translated and buried in the cathedral of Autun. But the inhabitants
of Marseilles claim to be in possession of his head which they still venerate.
However, this story is probably a legend which is confused with the story of another
Lazarus, the fifth century bishop of Aix at Marselles,89 who visited Palestine in 415 to lodge a
formal accusation against Pelagius.90
On the 21st of the month of Babeh, the Coptic Church commemorates the relocation of
the body of Lazarus. According to the tradition, when one of the Christian Emperors to
Constantinople heard that the body was on the island of Cyprus, he sent some of the trusted
bishops to the island there. These bishops found the holy body laid in a sarcophagus buried under
ground with an inscription that read, “This is the body of Lazarus, the friend of the Lord Christ,
whom He raised from the dead, after he had been buried for four days.” They rejoiced and
carried it to the city of Constantinople,91 where the priests received the body with great honor
and veneration. They laid it in a sanctuary until they built a church for it and then relocated the
body to the church where they celebrated a holy day for him.
The City o f Bethany as it looks today.
85 A historical region and former province of southeast France bordering on the Mediterranean Sea. It was colonized
by Rome in the second century BC.
86 Lion Clugnet, “Lazarus,” Catholic Encyclopedia.
87 Apparently, the Abbey of St. Victor was constructed over this site in the fifth century.
88 Lion Clugnet, “Lazarus,” Catholic Encyclopedia.
89 A Monk of the Eastern Church, They Year of Grace of the Lord, SVS, 1992, p. 161.
90 Prof. BB Warfield, Introductory Essay on the Pelagian Controversy, NPNF, s. 1 v. 5, p. 23.
91 This is perhaps more accurate, since many of the relics of famous saints were taken to Constantinople.
Page 44
C hapter 4
Palm Su n d a y
“B e h o l d Y o u r K i n g '
( M a t t h e w 2 1; 1- 1 6 ; m a r k i i : i - i i ; L u k i i 9 : 2 9 - 4 0 ; J o h n 1 2 : 1 2 - 1 9 )
He Who sits upon the Cherubim: ^&HGT2/6!ACI 2/13CCN

On the Throne of His Glory: N ixepovEiut: e,i2tCN ttioponoc
Riding on a colt in great glory: NTG TTcqcbov: a.qe,euci e&pm
And entered Jerusalem: e*GN ovea>: g^ oyn
felepovcaX H ii.
Hosanna in the highest: 10C&NN& 3GN NHCT(foCi:
This is the King of Israel: $ a j n e novpo u n iIc p a .H ^ :
Blessed is He who comes: VcU&pGOOY^T W2C0 ^hgonhoy:
In the Name of the Lord of Hosts 3GN $p&N ulftfoic NTG
NfXCftm.
Gospel Refrain for Palm Sunday
Page 45
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church ” The Holy Pascha
“What a great wonder that He Who sits upon the Cherubim and is praised by the Seraphim,
who cover their faces because o f His Divinity, today rode upon a donkey’s colt
according to the Plan so He may save us. ”
Second Exposition of the Vespers for Palm Sunday92
On this Sunday, we commemorate the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem before His
sufferings and passion. Riding on a donkey and a colt, He was greeted as a King who would save
the people of Israel from the Romans, but they did not know that the Lord’s plan was to save all
humanity from the bondage of sin. Their joy was neither complete nor consistent. The scribes,
Pharisees and Sadducees envied Him and the love which the people had for Him. As the children
cheered the Messiah these Jewish leaders questioned Him by saying, “By what authority are You
doing these things?” (Mt. 21:23). Even the people themselves would soon turn against Him just
a few days later. Now they were shouting “Hosanna!,” but in a few days they would be
shrieking, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” (Luke 23:21). Such a great paradox and irony is one of
the main themes throughout the entire week.
This is the day of extreme happiness and the beginning of the week of sorrows. We enter
the church with palm leaves and hymns of joy; we leave draped in sorrow and mourning. As St.
Andrew, bishop of Crete said, “Let us run to accompany Him as He hastens toward His passion,
and imitate those who met Him then, not by covering His path with garments, olive branches or
palms, but by doing all we can to prostrate ourselves before Him by being humble and trying to
live as He would wish. ”
In the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Feast of the Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem (or
Palm Sunday) is full of many rites, hymns, and readings which date back both to early Christian
traditions as well as ancient Jewish rituals. This chapter explores this rich background of rituals
followed by a patristic commentary on the Palm Sunday Readings.
The Old Testament Celebration

While celebrating the Passover, the Jews were required to have a special “convocation”
on the First day, which is Palm Sunday. On this day, they would remove all leavened bread from
their homes (Ex. 12:15) and would not be able to work (Ex. 12:16).
During the first seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles the Jews circled the altar once
each day singing “Hosanna” while holding palm and other branches in their hands.93 The eighth
day was called the Day o f the Great Hosanna, (or the Day o f Willows, and the Day o f Beating
the Branches) because a circuit was made seven times round the altar with “Hosanna ”
(Leviticus 23:36). On this day, all the leaves were shaken off the willow-boughs, and the palm
branches beaten in pieces by the side of the altar.
Every morning, after the sacrifice, the people, led by a priest, journeyed to the Fountain
of Siloam, where the priest filled a golden pitcher, and brought it back to the temple amid music
and joyful shouts. Advancing to the altar of bumt-offering, at the cry of the people, “Lift up your
hand!” he emptied the pitcher toward the west, and toward the east a cup of wine, while the
people chanted, “With joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation.” It is not certain
92 Lazarus Saturday and the Feast of the Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem, Holy Virgin Mary Coptic Orthodox
Church, 1993, p. 41.
93 Lev. 23:40. Compare Neh. 8:15; 2 Macc. 10:7. Adam Clarke, Clarke’s Commentary 5A, Matt-Luke, p. 386.
Page 46
that this libation was made on the eighth day, but there can be no doubt that the following words
of the Lord had reference to that ceremony.94
The palm branch still forms the chief feature of the lulabh carried daily by every pious
Jew to the synagogue, during the feast. Later it was connected with the idea of triumph and
victory95. Simon Maccabaeus entered the Akra at Jerusalem after its capture, “with thanksgiving,
and branches o f palm trees, and with harps, and cymbals, and with viols, and hymns, and songs:
because there was destroyed a great enemy out o f Israel. ” (1 Macc 13:51; compare 2 Macc
10:7). The same idea comes out in the use of palm branches by the multitudes who escorted our
Lord to Jerusalem (John 12:13) and also in the vision of the “great multitude, which no man
could number .... standing before the .... Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their
hands ” (Rev 7:9). Today, palms are carried in every Moslem funeral procession and are laid on
the new-made grave.
But this tradition seems to date to Christianity96 which related this great “victory” and
triumph to our Lord Jesus Christ, who triumphed over death and was victorious over evil. This
victory over the flesh and the world, is told by the Psalmist, “The righteous shall flourish like a
palm tree. ” (Psalm 92:12). Palms were present throughout Palestine. They once flourished on
the Mount of Olives (Neh. 8:15), where our Lord began His Entrance (Mk. 11:1). Jericho was
even known as the “city of palm-trees.”97 The comments on the use of palm trees by the fathers
are included below.
Palm Sunday in the Early Church
As discussed earlier, Holy Week was the last preparation week for catechumens in the
early centuries of the Church. Egreia notes that early on in history, the Christian community in
Jerusalem began to commemorate the Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem from daybreak, at the
Anastasis (the church of the Holy Sepulcher). From there, they went to the Martyrium (the
Church of Golgotha) to celebrate the regular Sunday Service. In the afternoon, a procession
went to the churches on the Mount of Olives for a service there. At around 3:00 pm, they
continued their procession down to the Hedron Valley for another service at the Imbomon (where
the Ascension supposedly took place). Finally, at about 5:00 pm, the procession came down to
Jerusalem, where children bore palms and olive branches to sing the vespers in the Anastasis.
They completed the day with prayers in the Martyrium.98 As she explains:
As the eleventh hour draws near, that particular passage from Scripture is read in which the
children bearing palms and braches came forth to meet the Lord, saying “Blessed is He who
comes in the Name of the Lord.” The bishops and all the people rise immediately, and then
everyone walks down from the top of Mount Olives, with the people preceding the bishop and
responding continually with ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord’ to the hymns and
antiphones. All the children who are present therefore are carried on their parents’ shoulders; all
of them bear branches, some carrying palms, others, olive branches. And the bishop is led in the
same manner as the Lord once was led. From the top of the mountain as far as the city, and from
there the whole way on foot, and this includes distinguished ladies and men of consequence,
reciting the responses all the while; and they move very slowly so that the people will not tire.”99
94 Marvin Vincent, Vincent’s New Testament Word Studies, The Gospel According to John, p. 983.
95 E.W.G. Masterman, “Palm Tree,” International Bible Encyclopedia.
96 Mesherman, Francis, “Palm Sunday,” Catholic Encyclopedia, 1999.
97 Deut. 34:3; Judg. 1:16; 3:13; 2 Chron. 28:15; Josephus BJ, IV, viii, 2-3.
98 A Monk of the Eastern Church, The Year of the Grace of our Lord, SVS Press, p. 162.
99 Egeria: Diary of a Pilgrimage, Ancient Christian Writers, no. 38, Trans. 38 GE Gingras, Chapters 30, 31.
Page 47
In Spain, Gaul and Milan, the catechumens would receive the text of the creed on Palm
Sunday so that they could prepare for the sacrament of Baptism on the following Sunday.100 In
Mesopotamia, around 397, palms were blessed in churches on this Sunday.101 In the fifth and
sixth centuries in Palestine, monks would journey into the desert alone or in twos to spend Lent
in solitude. They returned to the monastery in time for the vigil on Saturday evening before
Palm Sunday, to celebrate Holy Week together.102
Many customs also took place in later centuries, especially in the west. There, Emperors
used to distribute branches of palm and small presents among their nobles and domestics to
celebrate this occasion.103 Also, people used to make many quaint and realistic representations
of Christ seated on a donkey and would carry them in the procession, even into the church.104 In
Germany and France, it was customary to bring flowers around the Church in the church yard.
The Coptic Rite of Vespers and Matins
The Coptic rite has developed as a mix between the ancient Jewish tradition during the
celebration of the Great Hosanna and the early Christian tradition practiced in Jerusalem. In
preparation of the great feast, the church is decorated with palms, olive branches, and flowers.
This closely connected to celebration of a feast, for the entry of the King into His Kingdom.
There is also a symbolic meaning, as mentioned in the First Exposition read in the Vespers of the
feast, “Arise and decorate your gates for the Son o f God is coming. ” In the traditions of Coptic
icons, martyrs and saints are often depicted carrying palm branches to denote their victory over
death, sin, and temptation in Him.
The Vespers service is preceded with the 9th and 11th hours in the Agpeya, followed by
the Pre-Vespers praises (Tasbehat Asheya). Vespers is prayed in the festal tune, with added
verses of the Cymbals. The Doxology for the Feast of Palm Sunday is also added to the normal
doxologies, which are all chanted in the Palm Sunday Tune (Hosanna tune). After the priest
prays ^ N ovi n&i n&n (O God have mercy upon us) at the altar, the congregation chants
Kvpie e^GHcoN (Lord have mercy) in the long, festal tune followed by the Hymn of Palm
Sunday, GvXos'HueNoc and the Hosanna tune (OJc&nn*. nhct(Toci).
During this celebration, there is a procession both during vespers and matins following
the priest’s prayer “God have mercy on us...” around the altar. Thus, they circle the altar only
for three times, carrying the icon of our Lord’s entry and olive and palm branches.
After the Vespers procession, two expositions are read. The Psalm prophesies the cry of
the Hebrews upon the entry of our Lord into Jerusalem: “Blessed is He Who comes in the Name
o f the Lord. We have blessed you out o f the house o f the Lord. Ordain a feast with thick
branches even unto the horns o f the altar. Alleluia. ” (Psalm 117:25, 26)
During Matins, the procession continues around the entire church, while stopping at
twelve stations105 throughout the church, similar to the one made during the Feast of the Cross.
At each station, a gospel reading is read in front of the icon commemorating a saint, group of
saints, or an event. After the gospel is read, a special response is said for that saint or event
chanted in the Palm Sunday (Hosanna) tune.
100 A Monk of the Eastern Church, “The Year of the Grace of our Lord,” p. 162.
101 Ibid. at 163.
102 Wybrew, Hugh, “Orthodox Lent, Holy Week and Easter,” SVS, 1997, p. 86.
103 Mesherman, Francis, “Palm Sunday,” Catholic Encyclopedia, 1999.
104 Kellner, 50.
105 Some books mention 12 stations, though there is not always complete consistency with the numbers or gospel
readings of former versions of the Palm Sunday rite.
Page 48
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church l The Holy Pascha
Why the processions? The tradition of procession originates in Jewish times. Palm
Sunday, as discussed earlier, fell near the time of the Feast of the Tabernacles, on which the Jews
would circle the altar seven times with palms singing “Hosanna.” The Church continued this
tradition, though varied the hymns and purpose. In the fourth century, early Christians would
circuit Jerusalem, praying the psalms and scriptures in commemoration of Christ’s Passion,
which occurred at those sites. Today we circle the altar six times—three during Vespers, and
three in Matins. The seventh circuit is performed around the entire church, and is completed in
the altar. Each circuits begins in the altar, indicating that the procession of the redeemed
believers starts by God’s plan of Christ’s self-oblation.106
Why is the seventh circuit conducted around the entire church? This practice is related
to the procession of Early Christians in Jerusalem which began at the Mount of Olives and
ending in the Church of Golgotha (where they began their Sunday Service hours earlier).
Although this procession was conducted in the afternoon, in later centuries, virtually every group
of Christians began to circuit the church during liturgy. As mentioned above, during Palm
Sunday, the Christians in the first centuries would begin at daybreak with a normal Sunday
Service at the church in Golgotha, after coming from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. In the
afternoon, they would make a procession around the Mount of Olives while continually chanting
hymns. This closely relates to our procession.
Why not a great procession around the Church? The early church did in fact perform
such a great procession, first in Jerusalem, later around the church. But today, most of the
Orthodox churches do not do so.107 The closest ones still even with a Palm Sunday circuit are the
Coptic Church (as discussed above) and the Antiochian Church.
The Antiochian Church circuits the church after the Divine Liturgy with palms. A
special emphasis is made on the children to participate in this tradition. Such a procession is said
to have existed in Constantinople in the eleventh century.108 The Roman Catholic Church also
practices the circuit of the church, however only on Great Friday according to the Stations of the
Cross. In this, the believers circle the church and pray before different icons or pictures of the
events. In the medieval times, Catholics in the south east of France would practice processions
on Palm Sunday with an effigy of Christ on a wooden donkey drawn on a cart, called the
“Palmesel.”109 But this custom also has faded.
According to one explanation, the Coptic church has three different type of processions
that we are aware of which took place in the Coptic Church throughout history. These depended
upon the design of the icons in churches. Most churches, as they do today, had icons of the
saints, and so the majority of the processions would follow the location of these saints. The
second type of church, which focused on the life of Christ in its icons, would process according
to passages from the life of Christ, (this which is most similar to the Catholic Church rite). The
third was a mix of these two, with the icons of saints placed between the story of Christ .
The Coptic Rite—Divine Liturgy
The Church teaches us that every feast must be celebrated with the celebration of the
Divine Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist. The Jewish rituals of the Old Testament during this Great
Hosanna included a type of the Body and Blood, when the priest brought a golden pitcher of
106 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Introduction to the Coptic Orthodox Church, 173.
107 Alkividiadis Calivas, Great Week and Pascha in the Greek Orthodox Church, p. 24.
108 Ware, Bishop Kallistos. Introduction to The Lenten Triodion, Mateos, Le Typicon de la Grande Eglise, vol. 2,
pp. 66-7.
109 John McManners, eds., Oxford History of Christianity, Oxford Univ. Press, 1993, p. 263.
Page 49
water from the Fountain of Siloam and the cup of wine towards the east. This was the “well of
salvation.”
The Liturgy begins with the hymn “O King of Peace.” Legend holds that in Pharonic
times, the people welcomed the entrance of the Pharaoh into the temple with tune of this hymn.
Later on, near the fourth century, as Christianity developed, this hymn was used by the
Christians to welcome the patriarch. Also, this hymn was used to welcome Christ’s entrance into
Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. This is realized when this hymn is chanted during the procession of
the bread and wine to the altar during the great entrance as these gifts represent Christ.
The Synexarium is not read, as the readings for any of the Lord’s Major Feasts focus on
the Lord Himself alone, and that event which the church is commemorating. Because the Holy
date of Resurrection varies from year to year according to the Coptic Calendar, the celebration of
this feast will rarely fall on the same day commemorated in the Coptic Synexarium, the
Synexarium should not be read, as it will most always celebrate the commemoration of a saint,
and not the Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem. Similarly, the Synexarium is not read until
Pentecost, as the Church is celebrating only the Resurrection of Her Bridegroom for the entire
fifty days.
Next, instead of one gospel reading; four gospels are read, one from each of the
Evangelists. Why all four gospels? Each one is read facing a different direction as the fulfillment
of the prophesy that the gospel will be preached throughout the four comers of the world (N, S,
E, W). The Prayer of the Gospel is prayed twice: once before the first reading; and once before
the final reading. Thus this prayer is before the first and last readings. We read four gospels for
the same reason that four gospels were written. St. John Chrysostom says,
“Why four Gospels? why not, ten? why not twenty? If “many have taken in hand to set forth a narrative ”
(Luke 1:1), why not one person? Why they that were disciples (i.e. Apostles)? why they that were not
disciples? But why any Scriptures at all? And yet, on the contrary, the Old Testament says, “I will give you
a New Testament. ” (Jeremiah 31:31.) Where are they that say, “Always the same things?” If you knew
these, that, though a man should live thousands of years, they are not “the same things,” you would not say
this. Believe me, I will not tell you the answers to any of these questions; not in private, not in public: only,
if any find them out, I will nod in agreement. For this is the way we have made you good-for-nothing, by
always telling you the things ready to your hands, and not refusing when we should. Look, you have
questions enough: consider them, tell me the reasons. Why Gospels? Why not Prophecies? Why duties, to
be done, in the Gospels? If one is at a loss, let another seek the answer, and contribute each to the others
from what he has: but now we will hold our peace. For if what has been spoken has done you no good,
much less would it, should we add more. We only pour water into a vessel full of holes. And the
punishment too is all the greater for you. Therefore, we will hold our peace. Which that we may not have to
do, it rests with yourselves. For if we shall see your diligence, perhaps we will again speak, that both you
may be more approved, and we may rejoice over you, in all things giving glory to the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ: to Him be glory and dominion now and ever, and world without end. Amen.”110
Thus, each of the gospels are written to a different audience with a different purpose, as
explained in the following chart:
Gospel Matthew Mark Luke John
Audience Jews Romans Hellenists Greek World
Portrait of The Messiah/King who The The perfect Son of Man The fully divine Son of
Our Lord fulfills Old Testament authoritative who came to save and God who grants eternal
Christ prophecy and expectations Son of God minister to all people. life (the “I AM” of God)
Key Verses Matthew 1:1; 16:16; 20:28 Mk 1:1; 8:27; Luke 19:10 John 20:31
10:45; 15:34
Key Words Fulfilled Immediately Son of Man Believe; Eternal Life
110 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts, NPNF, s. 1, v. 11, p. 238.

M atthew 2'l:l~l6
Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two
disciples, 2saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt
with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need
of them,' and immediately he will send them." 4All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophet, saying: 5"Tell the daughter o f Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A
colt, the foal o f a donkey.' "
6So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their
clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down
branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed
cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name o f the L ord !' Hosanna in the
highest!"
10And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" 11So the
multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."
12Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and
overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13And He said to them, "It is
written, 'My house shall be called a house o f prayer, '■but you have made it a 'den o f thieves.' " 14Then the blind and
the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15But when the chief priests and scribes saw the
wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!"
they were indignant 16and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have
you never read, 'Out o f the mouth o f babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?"
M ark
Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of
His disciples; 2and He said to them, "Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will
find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. 3And if anyone says to you, ’Why are you doing this?'
say, 'The Lord has need of it,' and immediately he will send it here." 4So they went their way, and found the colt tied
by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. 5But some of those who stood there said to them, "What are you
doing, loosing the colt?" 6And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. 7Then they
brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. 8And many spread their clothes on the road,
and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9Then those who went before and
those who followed cried out, saying:
"Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name o f the L ord !' 10Blessed is the kingdom of our father
David That comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"
11 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the
hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.
L uke
And it came to pass, when He came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He
sent two of His disciples, 30saying, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on
which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you loosing it?' thus you
shall say to him, 'Because the Lord has need of it.' " 32So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He
had said to them. 33But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, "Why are you loosing the colt?"
34And they said, "The Lord has need of him." 35Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes
on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. 36And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. 37Then, as He was
now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and
praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38saying: "'Blessed is the King who comes in
the name o f the Lord !' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" 39And some of the Pharisees called to Him from
the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." 40But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should
keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."
Page 51
i
JOHN 12:12-19
The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to
Jerusalem, 13took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who
comes in the name o f the L ord !' The King of Israel!"
14Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: 15 "Fear not, daughter o f
Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey's colt."
16His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered
that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. 17Therefore the people, who
were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. 18For this
reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. 19The Pharisees therefore said
among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!"
What is the significance o f the palm branches?
The branches of palm trees are laudatory emblems, significant of victory, because the
Lord was about to overcome death by dying and by the trophy of His Cross to triumph over the
devil, the prince of death.
St. Augustine111
For when about finally to suffer, our Lord had come to Jerusalem, and the people had
gone forth to meet Him, some scattered the road with palm branches cut down, others threw
down their garments. Surely, these demonstrate two types of people—the one of the patriarchs,
the other of the prophets. That is, of the great men who had any kind of palms of their victories
against sin, and cast them under the feet of Christ, the victor of all. And the palm and the crown
signify the same things, and these are not given save to the victor.
Bishop Victorinus 112
And they took the small branches of palm trees and olives, and strewed their garments in
the way, showing that they now had a higher opinion concerning Him than of a Prophet, and
said, “Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord”
Why did Christ instruct the disciples to get the donkey “on which no m m ever sat**?
By these things He teaches them, that it was in His power to have entirely hindered the
Jews also, even against their will, when they were proceeding to attack Him, and to have made
them speechless, but He would not...And another thing again together with these does He teach
the disciples, to give whatever He should ask; and, though he should require them to yield up
their very life, to give even this, and not to gainsay. For if even strangers gave up to Him, much
more should they to strip themselves of all things.
111 St. Augustine, Tractate 51, Chapter 12:12-26, p. 1

112 Bishop Victorinus, Ch.4, ANF, v. 7, p. 728.
113 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on John, NPNF, s. 1. v. 14, p. 552.
114 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1. v. 10, pp. 854-855.
Page 52
W
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church l The Holy Pascha
“On which never man sat;” seems to me to hint at the circumstance that those who
afterwards believed had never submitted to the Word before Jesus came to them. Perhaps no man
had ever sat on the foal, but perhaps some hearts and powers alien to the Word had sat on it,
since in the prophet Isaiah the wealth of opposing powers is said to be bom on donkeys and
camels. “Through a land o f trouble and anguish, ” he writes, “from which came the lioness and
lion, the viper andfiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches on the backs o f young donkeys,
and their treasures on the humps o f camels. ” (Isaiah 30:6)
The Scholar Origen115
Realize how obedient the colt was how, being unbroken and having never known the
rein, did not resist but went on orderly. This was a prophecy of the future, signifying the
submissiveness of the Gentiles, and their sudden conversion to good order. For all things did
that word work, which said, “Loose him, and bring him to me ” so that the unmanageable became
orderly and the unclean, clean.
Why did people throw their garments on the ground and the donkey?
The Hebrew children spread their garments before Him

while the Cherubim cover their faces with their wings.
First Exposition of the Vespers of the Feast Palm Sunday117
He does not sit on the bare colt, but on the apostles’

garments. For after they had taken the colt, they then gave up all,
even as Paul also said, “I will very gladly spend and be spent for
your souls. ” (2 Cor. 12:15)
Let us give to Christ earthly garments, that we may receive heavenly raiment.
St. Cyprian119
Did Christ sit on a donkey, on a colt or both?
The Lord sat on both of them, for they were great symbols in His ministry. Saint
Augustine, St. Justin Martyr and St. John Chrysostom likened the donkey and the colt to the
nation of Israel and the Gentile nations. Thus, the Lord will rule over both of them. The people
of Israel were foolish and stubborn like the donkey who often rejects its master; the colt on
which no man ever sat was the nations that never had one king, one Lord over them all.
The Scholar Origen explains that the Lord Christ (Word of God) enters into Jerusalem
(the soul) riding on the a donkey (the Old Testament) and a cold (the New Testaments). The
donkey is loosed by two disciples (interpreted by two types of people, one who hears and applies
to his life directly; the other applies to his future). He enters, not alone but with multitudes of
115 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, Book 10, ANF, v.10, pp. 701-2.
116 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1. v. 10, p. 855, 857.
Church, 1993, p. 40.
118 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, p. 857.
119 St. Cyprian, On Works and Alms, ANF, v. 5, p. 1037.
Page 53
<S$5>
people (the prophets and righteous men that declare His coming). ((See complete homily
below.))
St. Augustine says the donkey is a symbol of God’s peace with Israel; the colt represents
the Gentile nations which have not yet received the law of the Lord.120
By the sitting on the donkey, He fulfilled the prophesy of Zechariah, who had said that
the King should sit on a donkey.. .He proclaimed beforehand the calling of the unclean Gentiles,
and that He should rest upon them, and that they should yield to Him and follow Him, and
prophecy succeeded to prophecy. But He also sits on the donkey to give us a standard of self-
denial. For He not only fulfilled prophecies and planted the doctrines of the truth, but by these
very things He was correcting our practice for us—everywhere setting us rules of necessary use,
and by all means amending our life...
He fulfills the prophesy, “Behold, your King is coming to you, He is just and having
salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal o f a donkey. ” (Zech. 9:9). Not driving
chariots, like the rest of the kings, not demanding tributes, not thrusting men off, and leading
about guards, but displaying His great meekness by this. Ask any Jew which king came to
Jerusalem riding on a donkey. None. For, He was the only one. But He did these things, as I
said, signifying beforehand the things to come. For here, the church is signified by the colt, and
the new people, which were once unclean, have now become clean after Jesus sat on them. And
see.. .that the disciples loose the donkeys and bring them near—for by the apostles, both they and
we were called and brought near to the Truth. And because our acceptance [of the faith]
provoked them also to follow, therefore the donkey appears following the colt. For after Christ
sat on the Gentiles, they will also come and follow us. As Paul declaring this, said, “That
blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in; and so all
Israel shall be saved.” (Rom. 11:25). This was clearly a prophecy, since the prophet was so
careful to express with great detail the age of the donkey.
He, as I previously said, requested His disciples to bring both beasts; [this fact] was a
prediction that you of the synagogue, along with the Gentiles, would believe in Him. For as the
untied colt was a symbol of the Gentiles, the harnessed donkey was a symbol of your nation. For
you possess the law which was imposed [upon you] by the prophets. Moreover, the prophet
Zechariah foretold that this same Christ would be smitten, and His disciples scattered: which also
took place. For after His crucifixion, the disciples that accompanied Him were dispersed, until
He rose from the dead, and persuaded them that so it had been prophesied concerning Him, that
He would suffer; and being thus persuaded, they went into all the world, and taught these truths.
Hence also we are strong in His faith and doctrine, since we have [this as our] persuasion both
from the prophets, and from those who throughout the world are seen to be worshippers of God
in the name of that crucified One. The following is said, too, by Zechariah: ‘“Awake, O sword,
against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My Companion, ’ says the Lord o f hosts, ‘Strike the
Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. (Zech 13:6-7).
St. Justin Martyr122
120 St. Augustine, Tractate 51, Chapter 12:12-26, p. 2. (Summarized and edited).
121 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew, NPNF, s. 1. v. 10, p. 855, 857
122 St. Justin Martyr, Second Apology for the Christians, ANF, v. 1, pp. 440-441.
Page 54
Mark adds that they found the foal tied at the door, outside on the road. But who is
outside? Those of the Gentiles who were strangers from the covenants, and aliens to the promise
of God; they are on the road, not resting under a roof or a house, bound by their own sins, and to
be loosed by the twofold knowledge spoken of above, of the friends of Jesus. And the bonds with
which the foal was tied, and the sins committed against the wholesome law and reproved by it—
for it is the gate of life. So they were not inside but outside the door, for perhaps inside the door
there cannot be any such bond of wickedness.
But there were some persons standing beside the tied-up foal, as Mark says. Those who
had tied it and inquired the disciples as to why they unloosed it were its masters—or those illegal
masters who subject and bind sinners and cannot look the true Master in the face when He frees
the foal from its bonds. Thus when the disciples say, “The Lord has need o f him, ” these wicked
masters have nothing to say in reply. The disciples then bring the foal to Jesus naked, and put
their own dress on it, so that the Lord may sit on the disciples’ garments which are on it, at His
ease.
Today the foal is made ready, the irrational exemplar of the Gentiles, who before were
irrational, to signify the subjection of the people of the Gentiles; and the babes declare their
former state of childhood, in respect of the knowledge of God, and their after perfecting, by the
worship of God and the exercise of the true religion. Today, according to the prophet, is the King
of Glory glorified upon earth, and makes us, the inhabitants of earth, partakers of the heavenly
feast, that He may show himself to be the Lord of both, even as He is hymned with the common
praises of both.
Methodius124
He rides on a donkey and a young colt; not on a chariot. You have a unique sign of the
King who came. Jesus was the only king Who sat upon an unyoked foal, entering into Jerusalem
with acclamations as a king. And when this King comes, what does He do?...He sits upon a foal
to give us a sign, where the King that enters shall stand. And He gives this sign not far from the
city, that it may not be unknown to us. He gave a sign plain before our eyes, so that even if we
are in the city, we may behold the place of the King. And the Prophet again makes answer,
saying: “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount o f Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the
east...” (Zech. 14:4). Does any one standing within the city fail to behold the place?
Another time, He speaks of us under the figure of a colt. He means by means of [the colt]
that we are unyoked to evil, unsubdued by wickedness, unaffected, high-spirited only with
Him our Father. We are colts, not stallions, “who whinny lustfully for their neighbor’s wife,
beasts o f burden unrestrained in their lust. ” [Jer. 5:8] Rather, we are free and newly bom, joyous
in our faith, holding fast to the course of tmth, swift in seeking salvation, spuming and trampling
upon worldliness. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter o f Zion. Shout for joy, O daughter o f Jerusalem.
Behold, your king comes to you, the just and the Savior, and He is poor and riding upon a
donkey and upon a young colt ” He is not satisfied to say “colt”; he adds “young” to emphasize
humankind’s rejuvenation in Christ and its unending eternal youth and simplicity. Our divine
123 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, Book 10, ANF, v. 10, p. 700.
124 Methodius, Oration on the Psalms, ANF, v. 6, pp. 838-9.
125 St. Cyril, Lecture 12: On the Word was Incarnate and Became Man, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 230.
Page 55
4
Tamer trains such young colts as we little ones. Although the passage speaks of a young donkey,
it too is a colt.
St. Clement of Alexandria126
But the foal is not a beast of burden in the same way as the donkey... I know some who
interpret the tied-up donkey as being believers from the circumcision, who are freed from many
bonds by those who are truly anti-spiritually instructed in the word; and the foal they take to be
those from the Gentiles, who before they receive the word of Jesus are free from any control and
subject to no yoke in their unbridled and pleasure-loving existence...But if the donkey and the
foal are the Old and the New Testaments, on which the Word of God rides, it is easy to see how,
after the Word has appeared in them, they are sent back and do not wait after the Word has
entered Jerusalem among those who have cast out all the thoughts of selling and buying.
I consider, too, that the donkey and the foal were found in a village without a name. For
compared to the great world in heaven, the whole earth is simply “the village” without any other
designation. Matthew says that the Lord sends the disciples who are to fetch the donkey and the
colt from Bethpage; and Bethpage is a priestly place, the name of which means “House of
Jaw-bones.
Christ went upon the water in a borrowed boat, ate the Passover in a borrowed chamber,
was buried in a borrowed sepulcher, and here rode on a borrowed donkey.
Matthew Henry128
What is them eaning o f “Rosanna ”?
Hosanna was a customary form of acclamation at the feast of Tabernacles. (Comp.

Psalm 118:25.)129 Additionally, when persons applied to the king for help, or for a redress of
grievances, they used the word Hosanna, or rather from the Hebrew HOSHIAHNA\—“Save
now!” or, “Save, we beseech you!-redress our grievances, and give us help from oppression!”
Thus both the words and actions of the people prove that they acknowledged Christ as their king,
and looked to Him for deliverance. How easily might he have assumed the sovereignty at this
time, had he been so disposed!130
However, at the time of Christ, the Hebrew word “Hosanna” had probably lost much of
its original meaning, since the majority of the Jews neither spoke nor understood the Hebrew
language. It had simply become a cry of joy or welcome.131 They no longer closely associated it
with the messianic meaning of the word, calling for salvation “save now, we pray.” So then the
people were declaring this call through the Holy Spirit, without fully understanding its
implications.
Even Christ prophesied to the Jews that they would declare this unto Him when He told
them that “Amen, Amen, I say to you will not see Me until you say, Blessed is He who comes in
the name o f the Lord. ” (Matt 23:29)
126 St. Clement of Alexandria, Christ the Educator 1.5. 15, FC, v. 23, p. 16, AACS, v. 14, p. 259
127 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, Book 10, ANF, v. 10, pp. 698, 699.
128 Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, Mark 11, p. 2.
129 G. Easton, “Hosanna” Easton’s Bible Dictionary.
130 Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible, v. 5A, Matt-Luke, p. 386. For instances of the use of this form of
speech see 2 Samuel 14:4; 2 Kings 6:26; Psalm 118:25.
131 A Monk of the Eastern Church, The Year of the Grace of our Lord, SYS Press, p. 163, n. 13.
Page 56
The exclamation used by the

worshipping people is Hosanna, indicating, as
some who know the Hebrew language affirm,
rather a state of mind than having any positive
significance... But when it is said, “Blessed is
He who comes in the name o f the Lord, [as] the
King o f Israel ” by “in the name of the Lord”
we are rather to understand “in the name of
God the Father,” although it might also be
understood as in His own name, inasmuch as
He is also Himself the Lord.. .These, then, were
the words of praise addressed to Jesus by the multitude.. .The Jewish rulers must have endured a
great cross of mental suffering when they heard the great multitude proclaiming Christ as their
King! But what an honor it was to the Lord to be King of Israel? What great thing was it to the
King of eternity to become the King of men? For Christ’s kingship over Israel was not for the
purpose of exacting tribute, of putting swords into His soldiers’ hands, of subduing His enemies
by open warfare. But, He was King of Israel in exercising kingly authority over their inward
natures, in consulting for their eternal interests, in bringing into His heavenly kingdom those
whose faith, and hope, and love were centered in Himself. Accordingly, for the Son of God, the
Father’s equal, the Word by whom all things were made, in His good pleasure to be King of
Israel, was an act of condescension and not of promotion; a token of compassion, and not any
increase of power. For He who was called on earth the King of the Jews, is in the heavens the
Lord of angels.
St. Augustine132 *
[The Hebrew children] were worthily glorifying Him with unceasing lips saying, “The
Glory of the Lord is blessed in Salmoan, the mountain of His holiness.” They were praising and
saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David, Blessed is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who came to save us.
First Exposition of the Vespers for Palm Sunday133
Why H i m r Lmd cmrry mwhip* whmHe is theEimgqfPmee?
Jesus let no one pass by the temple carrying goods. I still see You Lord standing by the
church door stopping anyone from entering if he has something in his heart. Something like love
of the world and its worries. You, Lord, ask the priest to leave his concerns outside the church.
You ask the deacon t leave his self pride or boasting. You, Lord ask all youth to let go of the lust
of the world, the obsession with physical beauty, the latest fashion fad. You, Lord ask the
student to leave diplomas and studies outside the church and to pray for the Kingdom of Heaven
and for righteousness.
Fr. Pishoy Kamel134
132 St. Augustine, Tractate 51, Chapter 12:12-26, p. 568-9.

Church, 1993, p. 40.
134 Fr. Pishoy Kamel, FTG, p. 11.
Page 57
“The Donkey and the Coif’by the Scholar Origen135
Now Jesus is the Word of God which goes into the soul that is called Jerusalem, riding on
the donkey freed by the disciples from its bonds. That is to say, on the simple language of the
Old Testament, interpreted by the two disciples who loose it: in the first place him who applies
what is written to the service of the soul and shows the allegorical sense of it with reference to
her, and in the second place him who brings to light by the things which lie in shadow the good
and true things of the future.
But He also rides on the young colt, the New Testament; for in both alike we find the
word of truth which purifies us and drives away all those thoughts in us which incline to selling
and buying. But He does not come alone to Jerusalem, the soul, nor only with a few companions;
for many things have to enter into us before the word of God which makes us perfect, and as
many things have to come after Him, all, however, hymning and glorifying Him and placing
under Him their ornaments and vestures, so that the beasts He rides on may not touch the ground,
when He who descended out of heaven is seated on them. But that His bearers, the old and the
new words of Scripture, may be raised yet higher above the ground, branches have to be cut
down from the trees that they may tread on reasonable expositions. But the multitudes which go
before and follow Him may also signify the angelic ministrations, some of which prepare the
way for Him in our souls, and help in their adorning, while some come after His presence in us,
of which we have often spoken, so that we need not now adduce testimonies about it. And
perhaps it is not without reason that I have likened to an donkey the surrounding voices which
conduct the Word Himself to the soul; for it is a beast of burden, and many are the burdens,
heavy the loads, which are brought into view from the text, especially of the Old Testament, as
he can clearly see who observes what is done in this connection on the part of the Jews. But the
foal is not a beast of burden in the same way as the donkey. For though every lead of the latter be
heavy to those who have not in themselves the upbearing and most lightening power of the
Spirit, yet the new word is less heavy than the old.
I know some who interpret the tied-up donkey as being believers from the circumcision,
who are freed from many bonds by those who are truly anti spiritually instructed in the word;
and the foal they take to be those from the Gentiles, who before they receive the word of Jesus
are free from any control and subject to no yoke in their unbridled and pleasure-loving existence.
The writers I am speaking of do not say who those are that go before and who those follow after;
but there would be no absurdity in saying that those who went before were like Moses and the
prophets, and those who followed after the holy Apostles.
To what Jerusalem all these go in it is now our business to enquire, and what is the
house which has many sellers and buyers to be driven out by the Son of God. And perhaps the
Jerusalem above to which the Lord is to ascend driving like a charioteer those of the
circumcision and the believers of the Gentiles, while prophets and Apostles go before Him and
follow after Him (or is it the angels who minister to Him, for they too may be meant by those
who go before and those who follow), perhaps it is that city which before He ascended to it
contained the so-called “spiritual hosts o f wickedness in heavenly places, ” or the Canaanites and
Hittites and Amorites and the other enemies of the people of God, and in a word, the foreigners.
For in that region, too, it was possible for the prophecy to be fulfilled which says, “Your country
is desolate, your cities are burned with fire, your land, strangers devour it in your presence.” For
these are they who defile and turn into a den of robbers, that is, of themselves the heavenly house
of the Father, the holy Jerusalem, the house of prayer; having spurious money, and giving pence
135 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, §18, ANF, v. 10.

and small change, cheap worthless coinage, to all who come to them. These are they who,
contending with the souls, take from them what is most precious, robbing them of their better
part to return to them what is worth nothing. But the disciples go and find the donkey tied and
loose it, for it cannot have Jesus on account of the covering that is laid upon it by the law.84 And
the colt is found with it, both having been lost till Jesus came; I mean, namely, those of the
circumcision and those of the Gentiles who afterwards believed.
But how these are sent back again after Jesus has ascended to Jerusalem seated upon
them, it is somewhat dangerous to say; for there is something mystical about it, in connection
with the change of saints into angels. After that change they will be sent back, in the age
succeeding this one, like the ministering spirits, who are sent to do service for the sake of them
who will thereby inherit salvation.
But if the donkey and the foal are the Old and the New Scriptures, on which the Word of
God rides, it is easy to see how, after the Word has appeared in them, they are sent back and do
not wait after the. Word has entered Jerusalem among those who have cast out all the thoughts of
selling and buying. I consider, too, that it is not without significance that the place where the
donkey was found tied, and the foal, was a village, and a village without a name. For in
comparison with the great world in heaven, the whole earth is a village where the donkey is
found tied and the colt, and it is simply called “the village” without any other designation being
added to it.
From Bethpage Matthew says the disciples are sent out who are to fetch the donkey and
the colt; and Bethpage is a priestly place, the name of which means “House o f Jaw-bones. ” So
much we have said, as our power allowed, on the text of Matthew, reserving for a further
opportunity, when we may be permitted to take up the Gospel of Matthew by itself, a more
complete and accurate discussion of his statements. Mark and Luke say that the two disciples,
acting on their Master’s instructions, found a foal tied, on which no one had ever sat, and that
they loosed it and brought it to the Lord. Mark adds that they found the foal tied at the door,
outside on the road.
But who is outside? Those of the Gentiles who were strangers from the covenants, and
aliens to the promise of God; they are on the road, not resting under a roof or a house, bound by
their own sins, and to be loosed by the twofold knowledge spoken of above, of the friends of
Jesus. And the bonds with which the foal was tied, and the sins committed against the
wholesome law and reproved by it—for it is the gate of life—in respect of it, I say, they were not
inside but outside the door, for perhaps inside the door there cannot be any such bond of
wickedness.
But there were some persons standing beside the tied-up foal, as Mark says; those, I
suppose, who had tied it; as Luke records, it was the masters of the foal who said to the disciples,
Why loose you the foal? For those lords who subjected and bound the sinner are illegal masters
and cannot look the true master in the face when he frees the foal from its bonds. Thus when the
disciples say, “The Lord has need of him,” these wicked masters have nothing to say in reply.
The disciples then bring the foal to Jesus naked, and put their own dress on it, so that the Lord
may sit on the disciples’ garments which are on it, at His ease. What is said further will not, in
the light of Matthew’s statements, present any difficulty; how87 "They come to Jerusalem, and
entering into the temple He began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, ” or how88
“ When He drew nigh and beheld the city He wept over it; and entering into the temple He began
to cast out them that sold. ” For in some of those who have the temple in themselves He casts out
all that sell and buy in the temple; but in others who do not quite obey the word of God, He only
makes a beginning of casting out the sellers and buyers. There is a third class also besides these,
in which He began to cast out the sellers only, and not also the buyers. With John, on the
Page 59
contrary, they are all cast out by the scourge woven of small cords, along with the sheep and the
oxen. It should be carefully considered whether it is possible that the changes of the things
described and the discrepancies found in them can be satisfactorily solved by the anagogic
method. Each of the Evangelists ascribes to the Word different modes of action, which produce
in souls of different tempers not the same effects but yet similar ones. The discrepancy we
noticed in respect of Jesus’ journeys to Jerusalem, which the Gospel now in hand reports quite
differently from the other three, as we have expounded their words, cannot be made good in any
other way.
John gives statements which are similar to those of the other three but not the same;
instead of branches cut from the trees or stubble brought from the fields and strewed on the road
he says they took branches of palm trees. He says that much people had come to the feast, and
that these went out to meet Him, crying, “Blessed is He that cometh in the name o f the Lord, ”
and “Blessed is the King of Israel ” He also says that it was Jesus Himself who found the young
donkey on which Christ sat, and the phrase, young donkey, doubtless conveys some additional
meaning, as the small animal afforded a benefit not of men, nor through men, but through Jesus
Christ.
John moreover does not, any more than the others, reproduce the prophetic words
exactly; instead of them he gives us “Fear not, O daughter of Zion; behold your King cometh
sitting” (instead of “mounted”) “on the foal of all donkey” (for “on an donkey and a young
foal”). The words “Fear not, daughter of Zion,” are not in the prophet at all. But as the prophetic
utterance has been applied by all in this way, let us see if there was not a necessity that the
daughter of Zion should rejoice greatly and that the greater than she, the daughter of Jerusalem,
should not only rejoice greatly but should also proclaim it when her king was coming to her, just
and bringing salvation, and meek, having mounted an donkey and a young colt. Whoever, then,
receives Him will no longer be afraid of those who are armed with the specious discourses of the
heterodox, those chariots of Ephraim said to be destroyed by the Lord, nor the horse, the vain
thing for safety, that is the mad desire which has accustomed itself to the things of sense and
which is injurious to many of those who desire to dwell in Jerusalem and to attend to the sound
word. It is also fitting to rejoice at the destruction by Him who rides on the donkey and the
young foal of every hostile dart, since the fiery darts of the enemy are no longer to prevail over
him who has received Jesus to his own temple. And there will also be a multitude from the
Gentiles with peace91 at the Savior’s coming to Jerusalem, when He rules over the waters that He
may bruise the head of the dragon on the water,92 and we shall tread upon the waves of the sea
and to the mouths of all the rivers on the earth. Mark, however, writing about the foal,93 reports
the Lord to have said, “On which never man sat; “and he seems to me to hint at the circumstance
that those who afterwards believed had never submitted to the Word before Jesus’ coming to
them. For of men, perhaps, no one had ever sate on the foal, but of hearts or of powers alien to
the Word some had sate on it, since in the prophet Isaiah the wealth of opposing powers is said to
be borne on donkeys and camels.94 “In the distress and the affliction, ” he writes, “the lion and
the lion’s whelp, whence also the offspring o f flying asps, who carried their riches on donkeys
and camels. ” The question occurs again, for those who have no mind but for the bare words, if
according to their view the words, “on which never man sat, ” are not quite meaningless. For
who but a man ever sits on a foal? So much of our views.
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church m The Holy Pascha
‘Christ is King”
And when Scripture says, 7 am the Lord God, the Holy One o f Israel, who have made
known Israel your King, ’ (Is 43:15) Will you not understand that truly Christ is the everlasting
King? For you are aware that Jacob the son of Isaac was never a king. For as the Scripture
explains to us, says what king is meant by Jacob and Israel: ‘Jacob is my Servant, I will uphold
Him; and Israel is my Elect, my soul shall receive Him. I have given Him my Spirit; and He shall
bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, and His voice shall not be heard without.
The bruised reed He shall not break, and the smoking flax He shall not quench, until He shall
bringforth judgment to victory. He shall shine, and shall not be broken, until He set judgment on
the earth. And in His name shall the Gentiles trust ’ (Is. 42:1-4) Then is it Jacob the patriarch in
whom the Gentiles and yourselves shall trust? or is it not Christ?
As, therefore, Christ is the Israel and the Jacob, even so we, who have been quarried out
from the bowels of Christ, are the true Israelite race. But let us attend rather to the very word:
And I will bringforth, ’ He says, ‘the seed out o f Jacob, and out o f Judah: and it shall inherit My
holy mountain; and My Elect and My servants shall possess the inheritance, and shall dwell
there; and there shall be folds o f flocks in the thicket, and the valley o f Achor shall be a resting-
place o f cattle for the people who have sought Me. But as for you, who forsake Me, and forget
My holy mountain, and prepare a table for demons, and fill out drink for the demon, I shall give
you to the sword. You shall all fall with a slaughter; for I called you, and you hearkened not, and
did evil before me, and did choose that wherein I delighted not. ’ (Is. 65:9-12)
Such are the words of Scripture; understand, therefore, that the seed of Jacob now
referred to is something else, and not, as may be supposed, spoken of your people. For it is not
possible for the seed of Jacob to leave an entrance for the descendants of Jacob, or for [God] to
have accepted the very same persons whom He had reproached with unfitness for the
inheritance, and promise it to them again; but as there the prophet says, And now, O house of
Jacob, come and let us walk in the light o f the Lord; for He has sent away His people, the house
o f Jacob, because their land was full, as at the first, o f soothsayers and divinations; ’ (Is. 2:5)
even so it is necessary for us here to observe that there are two seeds of Judah, and two races, as
there are two houses of Jacob: the one begotten by blood and flesh, the other by faith and the
Spirit.
136 St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue of Justin, Chapter 135, ANF, v. 1.

^BiPr
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church - The Holy Pascha
G eneral Fu n eral Service
Once the priest “releases the Angel of the Sacrifice” at the end of the Liturgy, he neither
sprinkles the congregation with water, gives the benediction, nor dismisses them. Instead, he
closes the veil of the sanctuary and begins the General Funeral Service. As discussed earlier,
during Holy Pascha Week, the Church does not perform any funeral rites for any of its members.
Thus, the entire congregation attends the General Funeral prayer lest anyone of them
departs during Holy Week. If anyone does pass away, the body is brought to the church to attend
the paschal prayers, without the raising of incense. The only time incense is raised during the
entire Paschal week is during the Liturgies of Holy Thursday, Bright Saturday, and Easter
Sunday, as well as during the special prayers of Christ’s burial on Great Friday.
Both the text and purpose of this funeral prayer has a long tradition in the Coptic Church.
It was mentioned in detail in the thirteenth century by Ibn al Assal—one of the greatest
translators of religious texts from Coptic into Arabic (i.e., Bible, Canons, etc.)
This is perhaps the only time that we ourselves will attend our own funeral prayers. How
humble is He to allow us to celebrate our own funerals before we begin to commemorate our
Lord’s passion. Yet truly this is necessary, for as He reminded us, “Do not weep for Me, weep
for yourselves.” (Luke 23:28)
During this service, a basin of water is placed on a table just outside the sanctuary in the
chancel of deacons with two lit candles. Following the funeral prayers, the priest blesses the
people with water for this purpose.
All of the readings included in the funeral service concern not just death, but the promise
of the conquering of death through the Resurrection. The first reading in this prayer (and in all
of Holy Week) is taken from Ezekiel. This passage refers to the valley of dry bones—a symbol
of the death due to sin. The Lord breathes the breath of resurrection through Christ into these
bones and gives us life again, as He said, “Those who believe in Me shall never die. ”
After its special introductory hymn, Gefie I’kNa.cT&.cic (“For the Resurrection of the
Dead”) the Pauline Epistle is read. The hymn is chanted to remember that we seek the
resurrection, repose, and rest of all those who departed in the faith of Christ. The Pauline epistle
also continues this theme of Resurrection. In this famous passage, St. Paul explains that there
must be a resurrection from the dead, and since Christ is raised, then all who believe in Him also
must be raised: “But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits o f those who
have died. ” (1 Cor. 15:20)
Again in the gospel reading, we hear how we can receive this resurrection. The Lord
explains to us “...anyone who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life,
and does not come under judgment, but passed from death to life... Do not be astonished at this;
for the hour is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and will come out—
those who have done good to the resurrection o f life, and those who have done evil, to the
resurrection o f condemnation. ” (John 5:24,29)
Page 62
Ezekiel 3 7 :1 - 1 4
The hand of the L or d came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the L o r d , and set me down in the
midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. ^Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were
very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. Ând He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones
live?” So I answered, “O Lord G o d , Y ou know.” Âgain He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to
them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the L o r d ! ^Thus says the Lord Go d to these bones: “Surely I will cause
breath to enter into you, and you shall live. ^1 will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with
skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the L o r d .” 6“
^So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a
rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Îndeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon
them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. Âlso He said to me, “Prophesy to the
breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord G o d : “Come from the four winds, O
breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 6 “ ^ S o I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath
came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
1^Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our
bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off! ’ ^Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the
Lord G o d : “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring
you into the land of Israel. 13Then y 0U shall know that I am the L o r d , when I have opened your graves, O My
people, and brought you up from your graves, will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will
place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the L o r d , have spoken it and performed it, ” says the
L o r d .’ “
This reading, among one of the most famous in Holy Week, is read first here as a
message here of both fasting and Resurrection of the elders upon their returning from
Babylonian captivity to the Promised land (Tertullian); of the souls from death of sin to the life
of righteousness and holiness (St. Ambrose, St. Irenaeus); of the New Testament Church
through the faith and obedience to the gospel (Origen); of the departed souls on the great day of
the Lord (St. Jerome).137 The Early Church used this chapter as a testimony to the Resurrection
from ancient times, as explained by the following early fathers. St. Cyril of Jerusalem devoted
an entire homily on the subject of the resurrection through this one reading, portions of which are
included below.
About the same time, the remarkable prophecies of Ezekiel came out, the mystery of
future things and of the resurrection having been revealed to him. His book is one of great
weight, and deserves to be read with care.
Sulptitius Severus138
As we at once perceive that the Creator is in this passage represented as vivifying our
dead bodies, and promising resurrection to them, and resuscitation from their sepulchers and
tombs, conferring upon them immortality also (He says, “For as the tree o f life, so shall their
days be” [Is. 65:22]), He is shown to be the only God who accomplishes these things, and as
Himself the good Father, benevolently conferring life upon those who have not life from
themselves.
St. Irenaeus139
137 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Ezekiel, pp. 222-223.

138 Sulptitius Severus, Sacred History, Book 2, Ch. 3, NPNF, s. 2, v. 11.
139 St. Irenaeus, Against the Heresies, Book 5, Ch. 15, ANF, v. 1.
Page 63
Ezekiel [37] is an example in the Scriptures that shed light upon the resurrection of the
flesh (although without specially naming the very substance).
Tertullian140
Enoch was translated in the flesh; Elijah was carried up to heaven in the flesh. They are
not dead, they are inhabitants of Paradise, and even there retain the members with which they
were carried away and translated. What we aim at in fasting, they have through fellowship with
God. They feed on heavenly bread, and are satisfied with every word of God, having Him as
their food who is also their Lord. Listen to the Savior saying: “And My flesh rests in hope. ” [Ps.
10:9] And elsewhere, “His flesh saw not corruption. ” [Acts 2:31] And again, “All flesh shall see
the salvation o f God. ” [Is. 40:5] And must you be for ever making the body a twofold thing?
Rather quote the vision of Ezekiel, who joins bones to bones and brings them forth from their
sepulchers, and then, making them to stand on their feet, binds them together with flesh and
sinews, and clothes them with skin.
St. Jerome141
Note how the prophet shows that there was hearing and movement in the bones before
the Spirit of life was poured upon them...Great is the loving-kindness of the Lord, that the
prophet is taken as a witness of the future resurrection, that we, too might see it with his eyes.
Although Everyone could not witnesses this, but in that one prophet, we are all witnesses, for
such a great and holy prophet would neither lie nor err.
Nor should this seem impossible at all, that these bones came to their joints at the
command of God, since we have numerous instances in which nature has obeyed the commands
of heaven; as the earth was bidden to bring forth the green herb, and did bring it forth; as the
rock at the touch of the rod gave forth water for the thirsting people; and the hard stone poured
forth streams by the mercy of God for those parched with heat. What else did the rod changed
into a serpent signify, than that at the will of God living things can be produced from those that
are without life? Do you think it more incredible that bones should come together when
bidden, than that streams should be turned back or the sea flee? For thus does the prophet
testify: “The sea saw it and fled, Jordan was driven back.” Nor can there be any doubt about this
fact, which was proved by the rescue of one and the destruction of the other of two peoples, that
the waves of the sea stood restrained, and at the same time surrounded one people, and poured
back upon the other for their death, that they might overwhelm the one, but preserve the other.
And what do we find in the Gospel itself? Did not the Lord Himself prove there that the sea grew
calm at a word, the clouds were driven away, the blasts of the winds yielded, and that on the
quieted shores the dumb elements obeyed God?
St. Ambrose142
[The bones in Ezekiel 37 that were told to] “Hear the word o f the Lord, ” .. .belong to
the house of Israel, or to the body of Christ, of which the Lord says, “All My bones are
scattered, ” although the bones of His body were not scattered? and not even one of them was
broken. But when the resurrection itself takes place of the true and more perfect body of Christ,
then those who are now the members of Christ, for they will then be dry bones, will be brought
140 Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh, Ch. 29, ANF, v. 3.

141 St. Jerome, To Pammachius against John of Jerusalem §29, NPNF, s. 2, v. 6.
142 St. Ambrose, Book 2, §73-74.
Page 64
together, bone to bone, and fitting to fitting (for none of those who are destitute of fitting will
come to the perfect man), to the measure of the stature of the fullness of the body of Christ..
“The hand o f the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit o f the Lord, and set
me down in the midst o f the valley which was full o f bones. ”
The root of all good works is the hope of the Resurrection; for the expectation of the
recompense nerves the soul to good works. For every laborer is ready to endure the toils, if he
sees their reward in prospect; but when men weary themselves for naught, their heart soon sinks
as well as their body. A soldier who expects a prize is ready for war, but no one is forward to die
for a king who is indifferent about those who serve under him, and bestows no honors on their
toils. In like manner every soul believing in a Resurrection is naturally careful of itself; but,
disbelieving it, abandons itself to perdition. He who believes that his body shall remain to rise
again, is careful of his robe, and defiles it not with fornication; but he who disbelieves the
Resurrection, gives himself to fornication, and misuses his own body, as though it were not his
own. Faith therefore in the Resurrection of the dead, is a great commandment and doctrine of the
Holy Catholic Church; great and most necessary, though gainsaid by many, yet surely warranted
by the truth. Greeks contradict i t , Samaritans disbelieve it, heretics mutilate it; the contradiction
is manifold, but the truth is uniform....
Turn now to the Samaritans, who, receiving the Law only, allow not the Prophets. To
them the text just now read from Ezekiel appears of no force, for, as I said, they admit no
Prophets; whence then shall we persuade the Samaritans also? Let us go to the writings of the
Law...And the Prophet Ezekiel now before us, says most plainly, Behold I will open your
graves, and bring you up out of your graves. And Daniel says, Many of them that sleep in the
dust of the earth shall arise, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame...
I C o r in t h ia n s 15:i~ 2 3
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in
which you stand, ^by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you
believed in vain. ^For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according
to the Scriptures, ând that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that
He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. Âfter that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom
the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. Âfter that He was seen by James, then by all the
apostles. ^Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one bom out of due time. ^For I am the least of the
apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ^ B u t by the grace of
God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I,
but the grace of God which was with me. **Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
l^Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that
there is no resurrection of the dead? ^ B u t if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.
And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. ^ Y es, and we are found false
witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise u p -if in fact the
dead do not rise. ^ F o r if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. ^ A n d if Christ is not risen, your faith is
futile; you are still in your sins! ^T h en also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ^ I f in this life
only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
143 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, Book 10, §19, ANF, v. 10.
144 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Lecture 18, NPNF s, 2. v. 7.
Page 65
^ B u t now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen
asleep. ^ F o r since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. ^For as in Adam all
die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23B u t each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those
who are Christ’s at His coming.
Let us consider, beloved, how the Lord continually proves to us that there shall be a
future resurrection, of which He has rendered the Lord Jesus Christ the first-fruits by raising Him
from the dead. Let us contemplate, beloved, the resurrection which is at all times taking place.
Day and night declare to us a resurrection. The night sinks to sleep, and the day arises; the day
[again] departs, and the night comes on. Let us behold the fruits [of the earth], how the sowing of
grain takes place. The sower goes forth, and casts it into the ground; and the seed being thus
scattered, though dry and naked when it fell upon the earth, is gradually dissolved. Then out of
its dissolution the mighty power of the providence of the Lord raises it up again, and from one
seed many arise and bring forth fruit.
St. Clement of Rome145
He calls Him, then, “the first-fruits o f them that sleep, ” as the “first-begotten o f the
dead. ” [Col. 1:18] For He, having risen, and being desirous to show that that same (body) had
been raised which had also died, when His disciples were in doubt, called Thomas to Him, and
said, “Reach here, Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I
have. ” [Jn. 20:27; Lk. 24:39]. In calling Him the first-fruits, he testified to that which we have
said, viz., that the Savior, taking to Himself the flesh out of the same lump, raised this same
flesh, and made it the first-fruits of the flesh of the righteous, in order that all we who have
believed in the hope of the Risen One may have the resurrection in expectation.
St. Hippolytus146
The mighty Paul, knowing that the Only-begotten God, Who has the pre-eminence in all
things, is the author and cause of all good, bears witness to Him that not only was the creation of
all existent things wrought by Him, but that when the original creation of man had decayed and
vanished away , to use his own language, and another new creation was wrought in Christ, in this
too no other than He took the lead, but He is Himself the first-born of all that new creation of
men which is effected by the Gospel. And that our view about this may be made clearer let us
thus divide our argument. The inspired apostle on four occasions employs this term, once as
here, calling Him, “first-born of all c r e a t i o n [Col. 1:5] another time, “the first-born among
many brethren” [Rom. 8:29], again, (< first-born from the dead," [Col. 1:18]...
But since it was also meet that He should implant in our nature the power of rising again
from the dead, He becomes the “first-fruits o f them that slept “ and the “first-born from the
dead, ” in that He first by His own act loosed the pains of death , so that His new birth from the
dead was made a way for us also, since the pains of death, wherein we were held, were loosed by
the resurrection of the Lord. Thus, just as by having shared in the washing of regeneration He
became uthe first-born among many brethren,” and again by having made Himself the first-fruits
of the resurrection, He obtains the name of the “first-born from the dead,” so having in all things
the pre-eminence, after that “all old things,” as the apostle says, “have passed away, ”
145 St. Clement of Rome, His first Epistle to the Corinthians, Ch. 24, ANF, v. 1.
146 St. Hippolytus, Fragments of Hippolytus, A letter to a Queen, ANF, v. 5.
Page 66
He becomes the first-born of the new creation of men in Christ by the two-fold
regeneration, alike that by Holy Baptism and that which is the consequence of the resurrection
from the dead, becoming for us in both alike the Prince of Life, the first-fruits, the first-born.
This first-born, then, has also brethren, concerning whom He speaks to Mary, saying, "Go and
tell My brethren, I go to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God. ”
P salm 6 4:4
Blessed is he whom You have chosen and have taken to Yourself; he will dwell in Your courts. We shall
be filled with the good things of Your house. Holy is Your temple; wonderful in righteousness.
J OHN 5 : 1 . 9 * 2 9
Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself,
but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20For the Father loves the
Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may
marvel. 21For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.
22For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23that all should honor the Son just as
they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
24”Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has
everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25Most assuredly, I say
to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who
hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27and has
given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28Do not marvel at this; for the
hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29and come forth—those who have done
good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
But what are the greater works? For perhaps this is easy to understand. He says, “For as
the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. "To
raise the dead, then, are greater works than to heal the sick... Then, does the Father raise
some, and the Son others? No, for all things are by Him. Therefore the Son raises the same
persons as the Father does; since the Son does not do other things than the Father, nor in a
different manner, but “the same” and in “like manner.” [Similarly]... the Son gives life to...the
same persons as the Father. Therefore, the power and will of the Father is the same as that of the
Son...Consequently the Father and the Son raise together; if they raise together, they quicken
together. Hence, they judge together...
He is beginning already to reveal Himself; and behold, even now, the dead are rising. For
“whoever hears My word, and believes Him that sent me, has eternal life, and will not come into
judgment. ” Prove that he has risen again. “But is passed,” He says “from death unto life. ” He
that is passed from death unto life, has surely without any doubt risen again. For he could not
pass from death to life, unless he were first in death and not in life; but when he will have passed,
he will be in life, and not in death. He was therefore dead, and is alive again; he was lost, but is
found. Hence a resurrection does take place now, and men pass from a death to a life; from the
death of infidelity to the life of faith; from the death of falsehood to the life of truth; from the
death of iniquity to the life of righteousness.
There is, therefore, that which is a resurrection of the dead. May He open the same more
fully, and dawn upon us as He begins to do! “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming,
and now is. ” We did look for a resurrection of the dead in the end, for so we have believed; yea,
147 St. Gregory of Nyssa, Against Eunomius, Book 2, §8, NPNF, s. 2, v. 5.

not we looked, but are manifestly bound to look for it: for it is not a false thing we believe, when
we believe that the dead will rise in the end.
When the Lord Jesus, then, was willing to make known to us a resurrection of the dead
before the resurrection of the dead, it is not as that of Lazarus, or of the widow’s son, or of the
ruler of the synagogue’s daughter, who were raised to die again (for in their case there was a
resurrection of the dead before the resurrection of the dead). But, as He says here, “has eternal
life, and does not come into judgment, but is passed from death into life. ”
...When our Lord Jesus Christ, then, our heavenly Master, the Word of the Father, and
the Truth, was willing to represent to us a resurrection of the dealt to eternal life before the
resurrection of the dead to eternal life.
“The hour comes," He says...[This hour is] that last hour, when “at the commuted and
the voice o f the archangel and the trump o f God' the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven,
and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds, to meet Christ in the air: and so shall we be ever with the
Lord. ” That hour will come, but is not now. But consider what this hour is: “The hour cometh,
and now is.” What happens in that hour? What, but a resurrection of the dead? And what kind of
resurrection? Such that they who rise live for ever. This will be also in the last hour.
What then? How do we understand these two resurrections? Do we, it may be,
understand that they who rise now will not rise then; that the resurrection of some is now, of
some others then? It is not so. For we have risen in this resurrection, if we have rightly
believed; and we ourselves, who have already risen, are looking for another resurrection in
the end. Moreover, both now are we risen to eternal life, if we perseveringly continue in the
same faith; and then, too, we shall rise to eternal life, when we shall be made equal with the
angels.
St. Augustine148
Special Prayer149
O King of Life and King of Ages,
You who have saved my life from death,
Who released my chains at the memory of your ascending procession to Jerusalem,
I walk toward Your house renewing my promises.
I carry my palm and olive branches to crown You king of my life and shout,
“Hosanna in the highest. ”
I have no bright garments to spread over the ground,

but I offer You my life.
I enter joyfully in your church there were Your kingdom is,
And kneel with fear in front of Your altar where Your throne is.
I kiss its floor and wipe my forehead with its dust,
lest You raise my face.
O Lord, don’t let me be one of the buyers or sellers in it.

O Lord today, I promise to give you all my life and belongings...
Hosanna in the highest.
148 St. Augustine, Tractate 19 on John, §§5, 8, 9, 10, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.

149 Commentary bn the Holy Pascha Prayers, Holy Virgin Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, Los Angeles California.
Page 68
C leansing the T emple

Lam. 1:1-4; Zeph. 3:11-20 Ps. 8:2,3 Matt. 21:10-17
We read in the ninth hour two prophesies: one from Lamentations, the other from
Zephaniah. There are several similarities and differences here among the prophets. The two
prophets both wrote during the time of the captivity of the Jews and wrote of calling of the
nations to the Lord, which is mentioned in this hour specifically.
Many, like St. Augustine150 and Origen compared many of the prophesies of Jeremiah
and Zephaniah. However, we also see some differences between the two prophesies, where the
prophets display two sides of the same coin. Jeremiah, in his Lamentations, urges us to repent,
mourn and fear the coming judgment of the Lord. This is perhaps why the Church selected
readings from this book as among the very first and very last readings of Holy Pascha week.
Zephaniah, on the contrary, advises us to have hope and joy for the coming of the Lord.
Truly this comparison explains the situation in Jerusalem that Sunday those expecting the King
were full of joy, yet the darker side of Israel was plotting His death. We thus receive two
messages, repentance and hope.
Also, there is an interesting link here between the psalm and the gospel. For the psalm
prophesies about the praise of the children and nursing infants, which silence the enemies of the
Lord (Ps. 8:2,3). This is cited by the Lord in the gospel when cleansing the temple. Methodius
contrasts the faithful praise of the Jewish infants with the foolishness of the stubborn Israelites
who asked, “Who is this. ”
L a m e n t a t i o n s is 1 - 4
How lonely sits the city That was full of people! How like a widow is she, Who was great among the
nations! The princess among the provinces Has become a slave!
2She weeps bitterly in the night, Her tears are on her cheeks; Among all her lovers She has none to
comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become her enemies.
3Judah has gone into captivity, Under affliction and hard servitude; She dwells among the nations, She
finds no rest; All her persecutors overtake her in dire straits.4The roads to Zion mourn Because no one comes to the
set feasts. All her gates are desolate; Her priests sigh, Her virgins are afflicted, And she is in bitterness.
Jeremiah knew that penitence was a great remedy, which he in his Lamentations took up
for Jerusalem, and brings forward Jerusalem itself as repenting, when he says: “She wept sore in
the night, and her tears are on her cheeks, nor is there one to comfort her o f all who love her.
The ways o f Zion do mourn. ” [Lam. 1:2] And he says further: “For these things I weep, my eyes
have grown dim with weeping, because he who used to comfort me is gone far from me. ” [Lam.
1:4] We notice that he thought this the bitterest addition to his woes, that he who used to comfort
the mourner was gone far from him. How, then, can you take away the very comfort by refusing
to repentance the hope of forgiveness?
But let those who repent learn how they should to carry it out, with what zeal, with what
affection, with what intention of mind, with what shaking of the inmost bowels, with what
conversion of heart: “Behold, ” he says, “O Lord, that I am in distress, my bowels are troubled
by my weeping, my heart is turned within me. ” [Lam. 1:20]
150 St. Augustine, City of God, Book 18, Ch. 33; NPNF, s. 1, v. 2. St. Augustine explained how many of the
prophesies like Jer. 16:9; 17:9; 31:31 were related to the end of times prophesies in Zephaniah.
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church > The Holy Pascha
Recognize here the intention of the soul, the faithfulness of the mind, the disposition of
the body. He says, “The elders o f the daughters o f Zion sat upon the ground, they put dust upon
their heads, they girded themselves with haircloth, the princes hung their heads to the ground,
the virgins o f Jerusalem fainted with weeping, my eyes grew dim, my bowels were troubled, my
glory was poured on the earth. ” [Lam. 2:10,11]
St. Ambrose151
Jeremiah, like Isaiah, is one of the greater prophets, not of the minor, like the others
from whose writings I have just given extracts. He prophesied when Josiah reigned in Jerusalem,
and Ancus Martius at Rome, when the captivity of the Jews was already at hand; and he
continued to prophesy down to the fifth month of the captivity, as we find from his writings.
Zephaniah, one of the minor prophets, is put along with him, because he himself says that he
prophesied in the days of Josiah; but he does not say till when. Jeremiah thus prophesied not only
in the times of Ancus Martius, but also in those of Tarquinius Priscus, whom the Romans had for
their fifth king. For he had already begun to reign when that captivity took place.
St. Augustine152
Ze p h a niah - 3:11-2®
11 On that day you shall not be put to shame because of all the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for
then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy
mountain 12For I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of
the L ord — 13the remnant of Israel; they shall do no wrong and utter no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in
their mouths. Then they will pasture and lie down, and no one shall make them afraid.
14 Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter
Jerusalem!15The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, He has turned away your enemies. The king of
Israel, the L o r d , is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. 16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. 17The Lo rd , your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives
victory; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you in His love; He will exult over you with loud
singing 18as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. 191 will deal with all your oppressors
at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in
all the earth20At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and
praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the L or d .
Take heart, O Jerusalem, the Lord will take away your iniquities. The Lord will wash
away the filth of His sons and daughters by “the spirit o f judgment and the spirit o f burning. ”
[Is. 4:4]. He will pour clean water upon you and you shall be cleansed from all your sins. [Ezek.
36:25] Choiring angels shall encircle you, chanting, “Who is it that comes up all white and
leaning upon her beloved? ” [Song 8:5] For the soul that was formerly a slave has now accounted
its Lord as its kinsman and He acknowledging its sincere purpose, will answer, “Behold, you are
beautiful, my love! Behold, you are beautiful! You have dove's eyes behind your veil... Your teeth
are like a flock o f shorn sheep "-for a sincere confession is a spiritual shearing. And further,
“Every one o f which bears twins..." [Song 4:1-2] signifying the two-fold grace, either that
perfected by water and the Spirit or that announced in the Old and the New Testament. May God
grant that all of you—vour course of fasting finished, mindful of the teaching, fruitful in good
works, standing blameless before the spiritual bridegroom—the remission of sins from God, in
Christ Jesus our Lord, to Whom be the glory forever and ever Amen.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem1' 3
151 St. Ambrose, Book 2, Concerning Repentance, Ch. 6, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10.

152 St. Augustine, City of God, Book 18, Ch. 33, NPNF, s. 1, v. 2.
153 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 3.16, FC v. 61, pp. 117-118.
Page 70
The consummation of all things is the destruction of evil, although as to the question
whether it shall be so destroyed that it can never anywhere arise again, it is beyond our present
purpose to say. Many things are said obscurely in the prophecies on the total destruction of evil,
and the restoration to righteousness of every soul; but it will be enough for our present purpose
to quote the following passage from Zephaniah [3:7-13].. .1 leave it to those who are able, after a
careful study of the whole subject, to unfold the meaning of this prophecy, and especially to
inquire into the signification of the words, “When the whole earth is destroyed' there will be
turned upon the peoples a language according to their race, ” as things were before the
confusion of tongues. Let them also carefully consider the promise, that all shall call upon the
name of the Lord, and serve Him with one consent; also that all contemptuous reproach shall be
taken away, and there shall be no longer any injustice, or vain speech, or a deceitful tongue...
As far as the deeper meaning of the passage is concerned, it clearly commands Jerusalem
to rejoice exceedingly to be exceedingly glad, to cheer up wholeheartedly as its trespasses are
wiped out, evidently through Christ. The spiritual and holy Zion—that is, the Church, the holy
multitude of believers—is justified in Christ and only in Him. By Him and through Him we are
also saved as we escape from the harm of the invisible enemies, for we have a Mediator who was
incarnate in our form, the King of all, that is the Logos of God the Father. Thanks to Him, we do
not see evil anymore, for we have been delivered form the powers of evil. He [the Logos] is the
Armor of good will, the Peace, the Wall, the One who bestows incorruption, the Arbiter of the
crows, Who shut down the war of the incorporeal Assyrians and made void the schemes of the
demons.
P salm 8*2*3
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise. Because of Your enemies, That
You may silence the enemy and the avenger. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon
and the stars, which You have ordained.
M a t t h e w 2 htM** 17
And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” 11So the multitudes
said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
12Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and
overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13And He said to them, “It is
written, ‘M y house shall be called a house o f prayer, ’ but you have made it a ‘den o f thieves. ’ “ 14Then the blind
and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15But when the chief priests and scribes saw the
wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”
they were indignant 16and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have
you never read, ‘Out o f the mouth o f babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise 7 ” 17Then He left them
and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.
The gospel reading here is taken from Matt. 21:10-17 and speaks of the cleansing of the
temple by the Lord. This is also discussed in the sixth hour of Monday, below.
154 The Scholar Origen, Against Celsus, Book 8, Ch. 72, ANF, v. 4.
155 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Zephaniah 43, PG 71:1013-1016; AACS OT v. 14, p. 218.
Page 71
The Jem Were Jgmtmmi
But see the wickedness of the Jews. He had performed so many miracles, and they were
never amazed at Him. But when they saw a multitude running together, then they marvel. “For
all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? But the multitudes said, This is Jesus the prophet o f
Nazareth o f Galilee. ” And when they thought they were saying something great, even then were
their thoughts earthly, and low, and dragging on the ground...
How sore a punishment do these things deserve, how great vengeance! Your Lord comes
to you in need, and you are not willing so much as to listen to His entreaty, but you blame and
rebuke Him, and this, when you have heard such words as these. But if in giving one loaf, and a
little money, you are so mean, proud, and backward; if you had to empty out all, what would you
become?
FaUhfid Infants and FmiishParents
But while these things were doing, and the disciples were rejoicing and praising God with
a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed be the King that
cometh in the name o f the Lord; peace in heaven, and glory in the highest; ” the city began to
inquire, saying, “Who is this? ” stirring up its hardened and inveterate envy against the glory of
the Lord.
But when you hear me say the city, understand the ancient and disorderly multitude of the
synagogue. They ungratefully and malignantly ask, “Who is this?” as if they had never yet seen
their Benefactor, and Him whom divine miracles, beyond the power of man, had made famous
and renowned. For the darkness comprehended not that unsetting light which shone in upon it.
Hence quite appositely with respect to them has the prophet Isaiah exclaimed, saying, “Hear,
you deaf; and look, you blind, that you may see. And who is blind, but my children? and deaf, but
they that have the dominion over them? And the servants o f the Lord have become blind; you
have often seen, but you did not observe; your ears are opened, yet you did not hear. ” See,
beloved, how accurate are these words; how the Divine Spirit, who Himself sees beforehand into
the future, has by His saints foretold of things future as if they were present.
For these thankless men saw, and by means of His miracles handled the wonder-working
God, and yet remained in unbelief. They saw a man, blind from his birth, proclaiming to them
the God who had restored his sight. They saw a paralytic, who had grown up, as it were, and
become one with his infirmity, at His bidding loosed from his disease. They saw Lazarus, who
was made an exile from the region of death. They heard that He had walked on the sea. They
heard of the wine that, without previous culture, was ministered; of the bread that was eaten at
that spontaneous banquet; they heard that the demons had been put to flight; the sick restored to
health Their very streets proclaimed His deeds of wonder; their roads declared His healing power
to those who journeyed on them. All Judea was filled with His benefit; yet now, when they hear
the divine praises, they inquire, “Who is this? ”
O the madness of these falsely-named teachers! O incredulous fathers! O foolish seniors!
O seed of the shameless Canaan, and not of Judah the devout! The children acknowledge their
Creator, but their unbelieving parents said, “Who is this?” The age that was young and
inexperienced sang praises to God, while they that had waxen old in wickedness inquired, ‘Who
156 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 66 on Matthew, NPNF, s.l, v. 10.
Page 72
is this? ” Infants praise His Divinity, while seniors utter blasphemies; children piously offer the
sacrifice of praise, whilst profane priests are impiously indignant.
Methodius157
Why was Christ so angry with them if it was necessary to buy and sell these things for the
sacrifices?
I believe when He said these things, He indicated also a deeper truth. We should regard
these occurrences as a symbol of the fact that the service of that temple was not any longer to be
carried on by the priests in the way of material sacrifices, and that the time was coming when the
law could no longer be observed, however much the Jews according to the flesh desired it. For
when Jesus casts out the oxen and sheep, and orders the doves to be taken away, it was because
oxen and sheep and doves were not much longer to be sacrificed there in accordance with Jewish
practices. And possibly the coins which bore the stamp of material things and not of God were
poured out by way of type. Because the law which appears so venerable, with its letter that kills,
was, now that Jesus had come and had used His scourge to the people, to be dissolved and
poured out, the sacred office (episcopate) being transferred to those from the Gentiles who
believed, and the kingdom of God being taken away from the Jews and given to a nation
bringing forth the fruits of it.
You know, beloved, that sacrifices were given to that people, in consideration of the
carnal mind and stony heart yet in them, to keep them from falling away to idols: and they
offered there for sacrifices oxen, sheep, and doves: you know this, for you have read it. It was
not a great sin, then, if they sold in the temple that which was bought for the purpose of offering
in the temple: and yet He cast them out from there. If, while they were selling what was lawful
and not against justice (for it is not unlawful to sell what it is honorable to buy), He nevertheless
drove those men out, and did not allow the house of prayer to be made a house of merchandise.
St. Augustine159
ff®w could the Lord be so violent if Me is the Ming o f Peace ami Lorn?
The Savior, therefore, of all and Lord manifests unto them His glory for their benefit, in
order that they may believe in Him. For as one Who possessed authority over the temple, He
both took care of it, and also called God His Father...It was their duty to worship Him as One
who, with God the Father, was Lord of the temple.
I know of three classes among the saved: the slaves, the hired servants, the sons. If you
are a slave, fear the whip. If you are a hired servant, look only to receive your wages. If you are
a son, revere Him as a Father, and work that which is good, because it is good to obey a Father.
And even though no reward will come to you, this is itself a reward, that you please your Father.
157 Methodius, Oration on the Psalms, ANF, v. 6.

158 The Scholar Origen, Spiritual Meaning of the Passover, ANF, v. 10, p. 690.
159 St. Augustine, Commentary on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7, pp. 138-9.
160 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, CLC, 523.
161 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Select Letters, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 705.
Page 73
In Him is our hope; let us submit ourselves to Him, and entreat His mercy. In Him let us
place our hope, and until we are thoroughly tamed, that is, are perfected. Let us bear our Tamer.
For oftentimes our Tamer brings forth His scourge too. For if you use a whip to tame your
beasts, shouldn’t God also tame us, His beasts? Who of His beasts will make us His sons? You
tame your horse; and what will you give your horse when he begins to carry you gently, to bear
your discipline, to obey your rule, to be faithful to you, to be a useful beast? How do you repay
him? Won’t you bury him when he is dead, and not cast him to be tom by the birds of prey?
Therefore, when you are tamed, God reserves for you an inheritance—which is God Himself...
St. Augustine162
One may ask, “Why did Christ use such harshness against these men—something which
He does not do anywhere else, even when insulted and reviled, and called a ‘Samaritan’ and
‘demoniac’?” For He was not even satisfied with words only, but took a scourge, and so cast
them out. Yes, but it was when others were receiving benefit, that the Jews accused and raged
against Him. When it was probable that they would have been made savage by His rebukes, they
showed no such disposition towards Him, for they neither accused nor reviled Him. What do
they say?
When a doctor for the sake of health with good reason either cuts or cauterizes those who
are suffering from the inflammation of ulcers, it is considered an evil by those who have to bear
it. Nor are the spur and the whip pleasant to a restive horse. Moreover all chastisement seems at
the moment to be a bitter thing to those who are chastised, as the Apostle says: “Now all
chastisement for the present indeed seems not to bring with it joy but sorrow; but afterwards it
will yield to them that are exercised by it most peaceable fruits o f righteousness, ” and “whom
the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives: for what son is there
whom the father does not correct? [Heb 12:6]
St. John Cassian164
To think, moreover, of the Son of God taking the small cords in His hands and plaiting a
scourge out of them for this driving out from the temple, does it not bespeak audacity and
temerity and even some measure of lawlessness? One refuge remains for the writer who wishes
to defend these things and is minded to treat the occurrence as real history, namely, to appeal to
the divine nature of Jesus, who was able to quench, when He desired to do so, the rising anger of
His foes, by divine grace to get the better of myriads, and to scatter the devices of tumultuous
men; for “the Lord scatters the counsels o f the nations and brings to naught devices o f the
peoples, but the counsel o f the Lord abides for ever” Thus the occurrence in our passage, if it
really took place, was not second in point of the power it exhibits to any even of the most
marvelous works Christ wrought, and claimed no less by its divine character the faith of the
beholders. One may show it to be a greater work than that done at Cana of Galilee in the turning
of water into wine; for in that case it was only soulless matter that was changed, but here it was
the soul and will of thousands of men. It is, however, to be observed that at the marriage the
mother of Jesus is said to be there, and Jesus to have been invited and His disciples, but that no
162 St. Augustine, Selected Sermons on the New Testament, Sermon 5 §4, NPNF, s 1., v. 6, pp. 570-1.
163 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 192.
164 St. John Cassian, Conferences, NPNF, s. 2, v. 11, p. 733.
Page 74
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church h The Holy Pascha
one but Jesus is sriid to have descended to Capernaum. His disciples, however, appear afterwards
as present with Him; they remembered that "the zeal o f Your house shall devour me. ” And
perhaps Jesus was in each of the disciples as He ascended to Jerusalem, whence it is not said,
Jesus went up to “Jerusalem and His disciples,” but He went down to Capernaum, “He and His
mother and His brothers and His disciples. ”
Now Christ is zealous principally for that house of God which is in each of us; He does
not wish that it should be a house of merchandise, nor that the house of prayer should be a den of
robbers; for He is the Son of a jealous God. We should to give a liberal interpretation to such
utterances of Scripture; they speak of human things, but in the way of metaphor, to show that
God desires that nothing foreign should be mixed up with His will in the soul of all men, indeed,
but principally of those who are minded to accept the message of our most divine faith. But we
must remember that the sixty-ninth Psalm, which contains the words, “The zeal o f your house
shall devour me.
Why did our Lord harm the animats* if they were not sinning against Mimf
The ox is symbolic of earthly things, for He is a vinedresser; the sheep, of senseless and
brutal things, because it is more servile than most of the creatures without reason; of empty and
unstable thoughts, the dove; of things that are thought good but are not, the small change. If any
one objects to this interpretation of the passage and says that it is only pure animals that are
mentioned in it, we must say that the passage would otherwise have an unlikely air. The
occurrence is necessarily related according to the possibilities of the story. It could not have been
narrated that a herd of any other animals than pure ones had found access to the temple, nor
could any have been sold there but those used for sacrifice.
The Zeal of Goi*s House m i Service
Brethren, let every Christian among the members of Christ be eaten up with zeal of God’s
house. Who is eaten up with zeal of God’s house? He who exerts himself to have all that he may
happen to see wrong. He, who when he is mistaken, desires to correct it does not rest idle. He,
who if he cannot mend it, endures and laments it...
Therefore, let the zeal of God’s house eat you up. Let the zeal of God’s house eat up
every Christian, the zeal of that house of God of which he is a member. For your own house
is not more important than that place where you have everlasting rest. You go into your
own house for temporary rest; but you enter God’s house for everlasting rest. If, then, you
busy yourself to see that nothing wrong is done in your own house. Is it proper that you
suffer, so far as you can help, if you should happen to see wrong in the house of God, where
salvation is set before you, and rest without end?
For example, if you see a brother rushing to the theater? Stop him, warn him, make him
sorry, if the zeal of God’s house eats you up. If you see others running and desiring to get drunk,
165 The Scholar Origen, Spiritual Meaning of the Passover, ANF, v. 10, p. 693-4.
166 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, ANF, v. 10, p. 703.
Page 75
and that, too, in holy places, which is not decent to be done in any place? Stop those whom you
can, restrain those whom you cannot. Frighten those you can; gently convince those you
cannot. Do not, however, remain silent.
Is it a friend? Let him be admonished gently. Is it a wife? Let her be restrained with the
utmost rigor. Is it a maidservant? Let her be restrained. Do whatever you can for the part you
bear; and so you fulfill, “The zeal o f Your house has eaten Me up. ”
But do not be cold, lazy, and selfish—saying to yourself, ‘Why should I bother
myself with other people’s sins? It is enough for me to take care of my own soul: this let me
keep undefiled for God. Doesn’t this remind you of that servant who hid his talent and would
not lay it out? Wasn’t he accused because he lost it, and not because he kept it without profit? So
hear then, my brethren, that you cannot rest idle. I am about to give you counsel: may He who is
within give it; for though it be through me, it is He that gives it. You know what to do, each one
of you, in his own house, with his friend, his tenant, his client, with greater, with less: as God
grants an entrance, as He opens a door for His word, do not cease to win for Christ; because you
were won by Christ.
St. Augustine168
Your faithful mercy hovered over me from afar. Upon what unseemly iniquities did I
wear myself out, following a disrespectful curiosity, that, having deserted You, it might drag me
into the treacherous pit, and to the enticing obedience of devils, unto whom I immolated my
wicked deeds, and in all which You scourged me! I dared, even while Your solemn rites were
being celebrated within the walls of Your church, to desire, and to plan a business sufficient to
procure me the fruits of death. For this, You chastised me with grievous punishments, but
nothing in comparison with my fault, O You my greatest mercy, my God, my refuge from those
terrible hurts, among which I wandered with presumptuous neck, receding farther from You,
loving my own ways, and not Yours—loving a vagrant liberty.
St. Augustine169
168 St. Augustine, Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7, pp. 142-3.
169 St. Augustine, Confessions, NPNF, s. 1, v. 1, p. 113.
Page 76
Eleventh H our
T he J ustice and M ercy of G od
Is. 48:12-22; Nah. 1:2-8 Ps. 8, 2,1 Matt. 20:20-28
In the ninth hour, the prophesies focused on the impending judgment of the Lord, and
were symbolic of repentance and joy. Similarly, the two prophesies in the eleventh hour focus
on the wrath of God on His enemies. They are also carefully selected by the Church. For St.
Augustine specifically focuses the same selection in Isaiah 48 as perhaps the most important
prophesy of the Old Testament that characterizes Christ as the Judge of the world.
The prophesy in Nahum also continues this theme. For we hear of the judgment of God,
“The Lord is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and wrath. He takes revenge on all who
oppose him and furiously destroys his enemies! The Lord is slow to get angry, but His power is
great, and He never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays his power in the whirlwind and
the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet. ” (Nah. 1:2-3). Like the prophesies
of the ninth hour, Nahum also discusses the mercy and goodness of God: “The Lord is good.
When trouble comes, He is a strong refuge. And he knows everyone who trusts in Him. ” (Nah.
1:7) The fathers interpreted this reading mainly referring to the judgment of the Lord as well as
His mercy.
The Psalm again prophesies of the infants who will praise the Lord when He enters
Jerusalem. As in the early church tradition, the gospel that was read in this evening was the
request of the mother of James and John to glorify her children with Him. For in this, He
explains that greatness is in humility.
Is a ia h 48:12-22
“Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. 13Indeed My
hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them,
They stand up together. 14”A11 of you, assemble yourselves, and hear! Who among them has declared these things?
The L or d loves him; He shall do His pleasure on Babylon, And His arm shall be against the Chaldeans. 15I, even I,
have spoken; Yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and his way will prosper.
16”Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I
was there. And now the Lord G o d and His Spirit Have sent Me.”
17Thus says the Lo r d , your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I am the L ord your God, Who teaches
you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. 18Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your
peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. 19Your descendants also
would have been like the sand, And the offspring of your body like the grains of sand; His name would not have
been cut off Nor destroyed from before Me.”
20G o forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing, Declare, proclaim this, Utter it
to the end of the earth; Say, “The L o r d has redeemed His servant Jacob!” 21And they did not thirst When He led
them through the deserts; He caused the waters to flow from the rock for them; He also split the rock, and the waters
gushed out. 12”There is no peace,” says the L o r d , “for the wicked.”
There are many other passages of Scripture bearing on the last judgment of God—so
many, indeed, that to cite them all would swell this book to an unpardonable size. Suffice it to
have proved that both Old and New Testament enounce the judgment. But in the Old it is not so
definitely declared as in the New that the judgment shall be administered by Christ, that is, that
Christ shall descend from heaven as the Judge; for when it is therein stated by the Lord God or
His prophet that the Lord God shall come, we do not necessarily understand this of Christ. For
both the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the Lord God. We must not, however, leave
this without proof. And therefore we must first show how Jesus Christ speaks in the prophetical
books under the title of the Lord God, while yet there can be no doubt that it is Jesus Christ who
speaks; so that in other passages where this is not at once apparent, and where nevertheless it is
said that the Lord God will come to that last judgment, we may understand that Jesus Christ is
meant.
There is a passage in the prophet Isaiah which illustrates what I mean. For God says by
the prophet, “Hear me, Jacob and Israel, whom I call I am the first, and I am for ever: and my
hand has rounded the earth, and my right hand has established the heaven. I will call them, and
they shall stand together, and be gathered, and hear. Who has declared to them these things? In
love o f you I have done your pleasure upon Babylon, that I might take away the seed o f the
Chaldeans. I have spoken, and I have called: I have brought him, and have made his way
prosperous. Come you near unto me, and hear this. I have not spoken in secret from the
beginning; when they were made, there was I. And now the Lord God and His Spirit have sent
Me. ” [Is. 48:12-16] It was Himself who was speaking as the Lord God; and yet we should not
have understood that it was Jesus Christ had He not added, “And now the Lord God and His
Spirit have sent Me. ” For He said this with reference to the form of a servant, speaking of a
future event as if it were past, as in the same prophet we read, “He was led as a sheep to the
slaughter, ” [Is. 53:7] not “He shall be led;” but the past tense is used to express the future. And
prophecy constantly speaks in this way.
St. Augustine170
N ahum 1:2-8
God is jealous, and the L o r d avenges; The L o r d avenges and is furious. The L o r d will take
vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; 3The L o r d is slow to anger and great
in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked.
The L ord has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. 4He
rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon
wilts. 5The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, And the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and
all who dwell in it.
6Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is
poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him.
7The L o r d is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. 8But
with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies.
“The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. ” He
does not suddenly and all at once inflict punishment, but only after exercising extreme long-
suffering. You Ninevites are witnesses to this, practicing repentance and finding salvation, and
then guilty of extreme wickedness and for a time not paying the penalty for it. But after putting
up with people’s wickedness for a long time, He is accustomed to inflict punishment on the
unrepentant...
Theodoret of Cyrus171
According to the law, the adulterer and the adulteress were punished with immediate
death. Because of the fact that he bore the penalty for his sin and paid punishments which fitted
the evil committed, what will be after this that threatens their souls with revenge, if they
171 Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on Nahum 1.3, PG 81, 1789-92; AACS OT v. 14, p. 180. Although Theodoret
was condemned in the Second Council of Constantinople (which is not officially accepted by our church) for his
influence on the heresy associated with Nestorius, some of his commentary (as other heretics) on the gospel are still
beneficial for us.
Page 78
transgressed no more, if there is not another sin which condemns them, but they committed only
this single fault when they were punished and bore for this punishment of the law?
“The Lord will not punish twice for the same thing, ” for they took their sin and their
penalty for the crime was taken away. And for this reason, this kind of precept is not found
unmerciful, as the heretics assert, accusing the law of God and denying that there is human
feeling contained in it. But it is full of mercy by virtue of the fact that through this more people
would be cleansed from sins than would be condemned.
“And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the Lord', that
you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because o f your
shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done, ” says the Lord God. ’ “ [Ez.
16:62-63]. Thus it is clearly indicated by these divine words what was meant in [Nahum], “And
though cleansing you He shall not be make you innocent. ” Even the just being restored to their
former state after committing sin, do not dare open their mouth, but say with the apostle, “I am
not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Church o f God. ” [1 Cor. 15:9]
St. Jerome173
Observe, you who are our beloved sons, how merciful yet righteous the Lord our God is;
how gracious and kind to men; and yet most certainly “He will not acquit the guilty ” [Nah. 1:2]
though He welcomes the returning sinner, and revives him, leaving no room for suspicion to
such as wish to judge sternly and to reject offenders entirely, and to refuse to vouchsafe to them
exhortations which might bring them to repentance...
Constitution of the Apostles174
P salm 8*2,1
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise. O Lord, our Lord how excellent
is Your name in all the earth!
Matthew 2 0 * 2 0 ~ 2 8
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from
Him. 21And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of my may sit, one on
Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.” 22But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what
you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am
baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 23So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be
baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not My to give, but
it is fo r those for whom it is prepared by My Father.” 24And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with
the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over
them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires
to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be
your slave-- 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for
many.”
“Areyou able to drink the cup?"
He says, “Are you able, to drink o f the cup that I drink of? ” But let no man be troubled
at the apostles being in such an imperfect state. For not yet was the cross accomplished, not yet
the grace of the Spirit given. But if you would learn their virtue, notice them after these things,
172 The Scholar Origen, Homilies on Leviticus, 11.5, FC v. 83, p. 214.

173 St. Jerome, Against the Pelagians 2.25, FC v. 53, p. 339.
174 Constitutions of the Apostles, Book 2, Ch. 15, ANF, v. 7.
Page 79
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church i. The Holy Pascha
and you will see them superior to every passion. For with this object He reveals their
deficiencies, that after these things you might know what manner of men they became by grace.
That then they were asking, in fact, for nothing spiritual, neither had a thought of the
kingdom above, is manifest from hence. But let us see also, how they come unto Him, and what
they say. “We would’ ” it is said, “that whatever we shall desire o f You, You should do it for us. ”
And Christ said to them, “What do you wish?” not being ignorant, but that He may
compel them to answer, and lay open the wound, and so apply the medicine. But they out of
shame and confusion of face, because under the influence of a human passion they were come to
do this, took Him privately apart from the disciples, and asked Him. For they went before, it is
said, so that it might not be observable to them, and so said what they wished. For it was their
desire, as I suppose, because they heard, “You shall sit on twelve thrones, to have the first place
o f these seats. And that they had an advantage over the others, they knew, but they were afraid of
Peter, and say, “Command, that one sit on Your right hand, one on Your left; ” and they urge
Him, saying, “Command. ”
What does He say then? Showing, that they asked nothing spiritual, neither, if they had
known again what they were asking, would they have ventured to ask for so much, He says,
“You do not know what you ask, ” how great, how marvelous, how surpassing even the powers
above. After that He adds, “Are you able to drink o f the cup that I shall drink of, and to be
baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” See how He quickly drew them away from
their suspicion, by framing His discourse from the contrary topics? He says you talk to Me of
honor and crowns, but I to you of conflicts and labors. For this is not the season for rewards,
neither shall that glory of my appear now, but the present time is one of slaughter, and wars, and
dangers.
And see how by the form of His question, He both urges and attracts them. For He said
not, “Are you able to be slain?” “Are you able to pour forth your blood?” but how? “Are you
able to drink of the cup?” Then to attract them to it, He says, “Which I shall drink o f ” that by
their fellowship with Him in it they might be made more ready. And a baptism again calls He it;
showing that great was the cleansing the world was to have from the things that were being done.
“They say unto Him, We are able. ” Out of their forwardness they straightway undertook
it, not knowing even this which they were saying, but looking to hear what they had asked.
What then does He say? “You shall drink indeed o f my cup, and be baptized with the
baptism that I am baptized with. ” Great blessings did He foretell to them. His meaning is, you
shall be counted worthy of martyrdom, and shall suffer these things which I suffer; you shall
close your life by a violent death, and in these things you shall be partakers with Me; “But to sit
on My right hand and on My left is not My to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is
prepared o f My Father. ”
He went up to Jerusalem, entered amid praises and at that very time endured His saving
passion on our behalf, that by suffering He might save and renew unto incorruption the
inhabitants of the earth. For God the Father has saved us by Christ; by Whom and with Whom to
God the Father be praise and dominion with the Holy Spirit, unto the ages of Ages Amen.
175 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 66 on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10.

176 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, CLC, p. 403.
C hapter 5
E ve of H oly Mo nday
m m s
II
H e Pr e p a r e s Th em ’
Page 81
During this day, while the disciples were traveling again to Jerusalem, our Lord cursed a
fig tree for not having fruit (Matt. 21:18-19; Mark 11:12-14). Our Lord used the fig to illustrate
His teachings about the last days. Just as the Jews could observe the sprouting fig leaves and
know that summer was approaching, they could observe the signs He described and know that
He was about to return (Mt. 24:32-33).
The theme of this day focuses on how we should be prepared and continues in each hour.
The Church warns us against hypocrisy and judgment using the teachings of the Lord. Through
the image of the fig tree, the Church reminds us that we should not think of this week as simply
an outer appearance of worship without sowing the fruits of repentance, love, and meekness. We
take this example to prepare ourselves to partake of the Holy Communion—through fasting,
through repentance, through individual prayer for the world, and through communal worship in
the Paschal services. Finally, we also prepare ourselves for the Second Coming of judgment. As
Fr. Pishoy Kamel states, “This preparedness starts at the Cross, since the Cross because the
judgment for those who rejected it and the secret of victory of those being saved.”177
In each gospel, the Lord prepared His disciples for the Passion. With great wisdom, the
Church selected the gospel readings in which the Lord Himself speaks to His disciples about His
Crucifixion and Resurrection. In the First hour, He compares the cross to the grain of wheat
that dies in the ground and mentions the glory of the Cross, through which all men will be
brought to God. In the Third Hour, the Lord blatantly explains how He must suffer and be
killed, before raising on the third day. (Lk. 9:22) In this Sixth hour, the Lord again warns His
disciples to also prepare for the coming events and “began to tell them the things that would
happen to Him. ” (Mk. 10:32-34). Again we read in Ninth hour, “He began to teach them that
the Son o f Man must suffer many t h i n g s (Mk. 8:31) Finally, in the Eleventh hour, the
disciples then react in fear and sadness, and even sinful anger—as when Peter rebukes Christ.
This preparation of the sufferings also continues in the prophesies. The first hour
prophesy speaks of the sacrifice prepared by the Lord. (Zeph. 1:2) The third hour also speaks of
the grain and drink offerings that are “cut off’ and “withheld” from the house of the Lord. (Joel
1:9, 13). In the ninth hour, Micah’s prophesy speaks of the robe of the righteous dipped in
blood, a clear symbol of the Lord’s sufferings.
Hour First Third Sixth 1Ninth Eleventh

Theme Prepare for His Suffering and the Last Days
Prophesies Zeph. 1:2-12 Zeph. 1:14-2:3 Joel 1:5-15 Mic. 2:3-10 Mic. 3:1-4
Psalm 26:7-8 27:9,2 28:1,2 16:6,1 17:17, 18
Gospel John 12:20-36 Luke 9:18-22 Mk. 10:32-34 Mk. 8:27-33 Matt. 17:19-23
177 Fr. Pishoy Kamel, From Jerusalem to Golgotha, p. 28.

Prepare For H is Suffering a n d the La s t Days (P a r t I)

Zeph. 1:2-12 Ps. 28:7,8 John 12:20-36
As discussed above, this hour focuses on preparation for the Passion of our Lord. The
prophesy of the first hour explains the first need of preparation: to prepare us for the banquet.
“For the day o f the Lord is at hand, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, He has invited His
guests. ” (Zeph. 1:2-12) The first prophesy speaks of all kinds of lukewarmness and
ungodliness—for He likens such a man to a city which will be destroyed and the victim of His
vengeance. It also speaks of the Lord as searching Jerusalem with a lamp.
The psalm continues this theme but is that of man searching for God to answer his cry.
Many people ask, “Why must we sing the psalms, and why do they last very long?” The answer
lies in this very psalm. When we chant the psalms, we are singing to the Lord—we have entered
into a heavenly dialogue with Him which we never wish to end. We are just beginning to ask for
His mercy. Originally, these psalms were all sung with various tunes in the temple with all kinds
of instruments. So let us not despise the melody of our Lord, but let these psalms resonate in our
hearts—for He has heard my song.
In the gospel the Lord prophesies about His death, speaks of the Cross as His glory (vv.
23; 28), and declares that whoever will follow Him must carry his cross. The Lord tells us we
should walk in the light to be sons of light.
EEPHANIAH 1:2*12
“I will utterly consume everything From the face of the land,” Says the L o r d ; 3”I will consume man and
beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, The fish of the sea, And the stumbling blocks along with the wicked.
I will cut off man from the face of the land,” Says the L o r d .
4”I will stretch out My hand against Judah, And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off every
trace of Baal from this place, The names of the idolatrous priests with the pagan priests— 5Those who worship the
host of heaven on the housetops; Those who worship and swear oaths by the L o r d , But who also swear by Milcom;
6Those who have turned back from following the L o r d , And have not sought the L o r d , nor inquired of Him.”
7Be silent in the presence of the Lord G od; For the day of the L o r d is at hand, For the L o r d has
prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests. 8”And it shall be, In the day of the L o r d ’s sacrifice, That I will
punish the princes and the king’s children, And all such as are clothed with foreign apparel. 9In the same day I will
punish All those who leap over the threshold, Who fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit.
10”And there shall be on that day,” says the L o r d , “The sound of a mournful cry from the Fish Gate, A
wailing from the Second Quarter, And a loud crashing from the hills. 11Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh! For all
the merchant people are cut down; All those who handle money are cut off.
12”And it shall come to pass at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And punish the men
Who are settled in complacency, Who say in their heart, ‘The L ord will not do good, Nor will He do evil.’
[This passage shows that] many of our sufferings are our fault and we deserve to
suffer... [for] we do not perceive God’s help in everything... for “In failing, let it fail from the
face o f the earth, says the Lord... [Zeph 1:2] Also [Zeph 1:7] refers to the sacrifice of the Lord on
the cross: “Fear from the presence o f the Lord God, since His day is near, because the Lord has
prepared His sacrifice, He has sanctified His elect. ”
St. Cyprian775
178 St. Cyprian, Against the Jews, Book 2, ANF, v. 5.
Page 83
The Lord Jesus went into Jerusalem, into the temple. And when He had looked around
upon all things, then, as it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve. [Mark
11:11] The Lord went into Jerusalem and into the temple. He went in, and, having entered, what
does He do? He looks about at everything. In the temple of the Jews He was looking for a place
to rest His head and found none. “He had looked around upon all that was there. ” He was
looking for the priests; He wanted to be with them, but he could not find them. He always had
regard for priests. So He surveyed all that was about Him, almost as though He were searching
with a lantern; so says the prophet Zephaniah, “I will explore Jerusalem with lamps. ”
In this same way, the Lord too looked around at everything with the light of a lamp. He
was searching in the temple, but He did not find what He wanted. When it was already evening,
he was still exploring everything; He was looking around upon all things. Even though His
search was unfruitful, nevertheless, as long as there was light, He remained in the temple. But
when evening had come, when the shades of ignorance had darkened the temple of the Jews,
when it was the evening hour, He went to Bethany with the Twelve. The Savior searched; the
apostles searched; in the temple they found nothing , so they left.
St. Jerome179
P salm 2 6:7,8
I w ill sing and m ake m elody to the L o r d . 7 H ear, O L o r d , w hen I cry aloud, be gracious to m e and answ er me!
J ohn 12:2©~36
Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. ^ T h e n they came to
Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” ^ P h ilip came and
told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. ^ B u t Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come
that the Son of Man should be glorified. ^ M ost assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the
ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. ^ H e who loves his life will lose it,
and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ^ I f anyone serves Me, let him follow Me;
and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
27”N ow My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I
came to this hour. ^Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it
and will glorify it again.” ^ T h e r e f o r e the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said,
“An angel has spoken to Him.” ^ Je su s answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your
sake. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. ^ A n d if i am lifted up
from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” -^This He said, signifying by what death He would die. -^The
people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The
Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” -^Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the
light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does
not know where he is going. -^While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of
light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
What is the alifting up ”?
For what else did He signify by His lifting up, than His suffering on the Cross, an
explanation which the evangelist himself has not omitted; for he has appended the words, “And
this He said signifying what death He should die. ” ... [Thus] our Lord Christ, foretelling His
own passion, and the fruitfulness of His death in being lifted up on the Cross, said that He would
draw all [things] after Him. And when the Jews, understanding that He spoke of His death, put to
179 St. Jerome, Homily 82 on Mark, FC, v. 57, p. 173; AACS, v. 15, p. 209.
Him the question how He could speak of death as awaiting Him, when they heard out of the law
that Christ abides forever; He exhorted them, while still they had in them the little light, which
had so taught them that Christ was eternal, to walk, to make themselves acquainted with the
whole subject, lest they should be overtaken with darkness.
St. Augustine180
When Christ said to them, “when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to
Myself ” one of them said, “ We have heard from the Law, that the Christ remains forever; and
how can You say that the Son o f Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son o f Man?” Even they
then knew that Christ was some Immortal One, and had life without end. And therefore they also
knew what He meant; for often in Scripture the Passion and the Resurrection are mentioned in
the same place. Isaiah puts them together by saying, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter ”
[Is. 53:7], and all that follows. David also in the second Psalm, and in many other places,
connects these two things. The Patriarch too after saying, “He lay down, He stretches out like a
lion,” adds, “Like a lioness, who shall raise Him up?” [Gen. 49:9]. He shows at once the
Passion and the Resurrection. But these men when they thought to silence Him, and to show that
He was not the Christ, confessed by this very circumstance that the Christ remains forever.. .[But
they did not understand that] the Passion was no hindrance to His Immortality. Hence we may
see that they understood many of the doubtful points, and deliberately went wrong. For since He
had before spoken about death, when they now heard in this place the, “be lifted up, ” they
guessed that death was referred to...
But to what do the words “Glorify Your name” refer, but to His own passion and
resurrection? For what else can it mean, but that the Father should thus glorify the Son, who in
like manner glorifies His own name in the similar sufferings of His servants? Hence it is
recorded of Peter, that for this cause He said concerning him, “Another shall gird you, and carry
you whither you do not wish to do. ” because He intended to signify “by what death he should
glorify God. ” Therefore in him, too, did God glorify His name, because thus also does He glorify
Christ in His members.
St. Augustine182
Whmt is the meaning of the com filling to the ground?
What does it mean, “Except a grain o f corn fall into the ground and die ”? He speaks of
the Cross, for that they might not be confounded at seeing, that just when Greeks also came to
Him, then He was slain, He says to them, “This very thing specially causes them to come, and
shall increase the preaching o f Me. ” Then since He could not so well persuade them by words,
He goes about to prove this from actual experience, telling them that this is the case with com; it
bears more fruit when it has died. “Now, ” He says, “if this be the case with seeds, much more
with Me. ” But the disciples did not understand what was spoken. Therefore the Evangelist
continually uses this as the reason why they escaped afterwards. Paul raises this same argument
when speaking of the Resurrection—
180 St. Augustine, Homily 52-53 on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.

181 Saint John Chrysostom, Homily 68 on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14.
182 St. Augustine, Tractate 52 on the Gospel of John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.
183 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 66 on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14.
The height of His glorification had to be preceded by the depth of His passion.. .He spoke
of Himself. He Himself was the grain that had to die, and be multiplied; to suffer death through
the unbelief of the Jews, and to be multiplied in the faith of many nations.
St. Augustine184
How should you hate your life?
The present life is sweet and full of much pleasure—yet not to all, but to those who are
immersed in it. Since, if any one looks to heaven and sees the beautiful things there, he will soon
despise this life and make no account of it. Just as the beauty of an object is admired while none
more beautiful is seen, but when a better appears, the former is despised. If then we would
choose to look to that beauty, and observe the splendor of the kingdom there, we should soon
free ourselves from our present chains; for a kind of chain it is, this sympathy with present
things.
Hear what Christ says to bring us into this: “He who loves his life lose it, and he who
hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ” and, “ Where I am, there is My servant
also. ” The words seem like a riddle, yet they are not so, but are full of much wisdom. But how
shall “he that loves his life, lose it ”! When he does its improper desires, when he gratifies it
where he should not. Therefore one exhorts us, saying, “Do not walk in the desires o f your soul”
(Ecclus. 18:30). [Through this type of living], you will destroy your soul since this lead you
away from the path leading to virtue.
On the contrary, “he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life ” But does
this mean, “he who hates his life”! He who does not yield to it when it commands you to do
what is evil. He did not say, “he that does not yield to it,” but, “He that hates it. ” For as we
cannot endure even to hear the voice of those we hate, nor to look upon them with pleasure. So,
we must forcefully turn away from the soul when it commands us to do things contrary to what is
pleasing to God.
“Let him follow M e” means this: Let him walk in my ways, and not in his own; as it is
written elsewhere, “He that said he abides in Christ, should himself also walk just as He
walked. ” For he should, if supplying food to the hungry, to do it in the way of mercy and not of
boasting, seeking nothing else but the doing of good, and not letting his left hand know what his
right hand is doing. In other words, all of that kind of self-seeking should be completely
separated from a work of charity. He that serves in this way serves Christ, and will have it rightly
said to him, “Inasmuch as you did it unto one o f the least o f those who are My, you did it to Me. ”
And thus doing not only those acts of mercy that pertain to the body, but every good work, for
the sake of Christ (for then will all be good, because “Christ is the end o f the law for
righteousness to every one that believes”), he is Christ’s servant even to that work of special
love, which is to lay down his life for the brethren, for that were to lay it down also for Christ.
For this also will He say hereafter in behalf of His members: Inasmuch as you did it for these,
you have done it for me.
St. Augustine186

Page 86
We are all servants

He was also pleased to make and to style Himself a servant, when He says, “Even as the
Son o f man came not to be ministered unto [served], but to minister [serve], and to lay down His
life for many. ” Every one, therefore, is the servant of Christ in the same way as Christ also is a
servant. And he that seventh Christ in this way will be honored by His Father with the signal
honor of being with His Son, and having nothing wanting to his happiness for ever...
Accordingly, brethren, when you hear the Lord saying, “Where I am, there shall also my
servant be, ” do not think merely of good bishops and clergymen. But be yourselves also in your
own way serving Christ, by good lives, by giving alms, by preaching His name and doctrine as
you can.
Every father of a family also should acknowledge in this name the affection he owes as a
parent to his family. For Christ’s sake, and for the sake of life eternal, let him warn, teach,
exhort, and correct his entire household. Let him show kindliness and exercise discipline, so in
his own house he will be filling an ecclesiastical and kind of episcopal office and serving Christ,
so that he may live with Him for ever. For even that noblest service of suffering has been
rendered by many of your class; for many who were neither bishops nor clergy, but young men
and virgins, those advanced in years with those who were not, many married persons both male
and female, many fathers and mothers of families, have served Christ even to the laying down of
their lives in martyrdom for His sake, and have been honored by the Father in receiving crowns
of exceeding glory.
What do You mean when You say, “Now is My soul troubled. ” How can You ask my
soul to follow You if I observe Your own [soul] troubled? How can I endure what I feel is heavy
or burdensome? What kind of foundation I can seek if the Rock is giving way?
I believe I hear in my own thoughts the Lord answering me, saying, “You shall follow
Me even better—for I interject here to aid your power of endurance. You have heard, as
addressed to yourself, the voice of My strength. Hear in Me the voice of your sickness. I supply
strength for your running; I am not delaying your rush. But I transfer to Myself your causes for
trembling, and I pave the way for your continuation.”
O Lord our Mediator, God above us, man for us, I own Your mercy For because You,
who are so great, are troubled through the good will of Your love, You preserve, by the richness
of Your comfort, the many in Your body who are troubled by the continual experience of their
own weakness, from perishing utterly in their despair.
In a word, let the man who would follow learn the road by which he must travel. Perhaps
an hour of terrible trial has come, and the choice is set before you either to sin or to endure
suffering. The weak soul is .troubled, on whose behalf the invincible soul [of Christ] was
voluntarily troubled. Then, set the will of God before your own. For notice that it is immediately
united to your Creator and Master, by Him who made you, and became Himself for your
teaching that which He made; for He who made man was made man, but He remained still the
unchangeable God, and transplanted manhood into a better condition.
He adds to the words, “Now is my soul troubled” and says, “And what shall I say?
Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify Your
name. ” He has taught you here what to think of, what to say, on whom to call, in whom to hope,
and whose will, as sure and divine, to prefer to your own, which is human and weak...
St. Augustine187

T he T hird H owr
Prepare For H is Suffering a n p th e La st Days CPa r t II)
Zeph. 1:14-18 Ps. 27:9,2 Luke 9:18-22
As mentioned above, we continue in the theme of preparation of both the Passion of
Christ and the end of days. Whereas the first hour focused more on preparation of the Passion of
our Lord, this hour focuses more on our preparation for the end of days.
The prophesy of this hour reminds us coming day of the Lord discussed in the first hour
as well as in the prophesies read on Sunday. It refers to the “coming day o f the Lord... [for] that
day will be a day o f wrath, a day o f distress and anguish, a day o f ruin and devastation, a day o f
darkness and gloom, a day o f clouds and thick darkness. ” (Zeph. 1:15)
The psalm speaks about the salvation which we seek eagerly through the Light of the
World, the Good Shepherd, the Lamb of God on the Cross.
The gospel reading continues with the same theme as discussed previously.
lEPHANIAH 1:14-18
14 The great day of the Lo r d is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the L o r d is
bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out. l^That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day
of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness,
lÂ (jay 0f trumpet and alarm Against the fortified cities And against the high towers. ^ ”1 will bring
distress upon men, And they shall walk like blind men, Because they have sinned against the L o r d ; Their blood
shall be poured out like dust, And their flesh like refuse.”
^N either their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the L o r d ’s wrath; But the
whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance Of all those who dwell
in the land.
Christ is the Light
But since these are light as perceived by the sense, which are said in Moses to have come
into existence on the fourth day, they are not the true light because they enlighten the things on
the earth. The Savior, on the other hand, is the Light of the spiritual world because He shines on
those whoa re rational and intellectual, that their mind may see its proper visions. Now I mean
He is the Light of those rational souls which are in the sensible world, of which the Savior
teaches us that He is the Maker, being, perhaps its directing and principal part, so to speak, the
sun of the great Day of the Lord.
Tke®®$qfWmth
But let them hear how the prophet Zephaniah holds out over them the power of divine
rebuke, saying, “Behold, the Day o f the Lord comes, great and horrible, the day o f wrath, that
day; a day o f darkness and gloominess, a day o f cloud and whirlwind, a day o f trumpet and
clamor, upon all fenced cities and upon all lofty corners. ” For what is expressed by fenced
cities but minds suspected and surrounded ever with a fallacious defense; minds which, as often
as their fault is attacked, suffer not the darts of truth to reach them? And was is signified by
lofty corners (a wall being always double in comers) but insincere hearts; which, while they
188 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, 1.61, FC, v. 80, p. 66.
shun the simplicity of truth, are in manner doubled back on themselves in the crookedness of
duplicity, and, what is worse, from their thoughts with the pride of prudence?
Therefore, the Day of the Lord comes full of vengeance and rebuke upon fenced cities
and lofty comers, because the wrath of the last judgment both destroys human hearts that have
been closed by defenses against the truth and unfolds such as have been folded up in duplicities.
For then the fenced cities fall. For souls that God has not penetrated will be damned. Then the
lofty comers tumble because hearts which erect themselves in the prudence of insincerity are
prostrated by the sentence of righteousness.
St. Gregory the Great189
Etches will not save
In Solomon, in Ecclesiasticus: “He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver. ”
[Ecc. 5:10] Also in Proverbs: “He who holds back the corn is cursed among the people; but
blessing is on the head o f him that communicates it. ” [Prov. 11:26] Also in Isaiah: “Woe unto
them who join house to house, and lay field to field, that they may take away something from
their neighbor. Will you dwell alone upon the earth?” [Is. 5:8] Also in Zephaniah: “They shall
build houses, and shall not dwell in them; and they shall appoint vineyards, and shall not
drink the wine of them, because the day of the Lord is near.99Also in the Gospel according to
Luke: “For what does it profit a man to make a gain o f the whole world, but that he should lose
himself?” [Lk. 9:25] And again: “But the Lord said unto him, you fool, this night your soul is
required o f you. Whose, then, shall those things be which you have provided?” [Lk. 12:20]...
St. Cyprian190
I am weary and vexed at enumerating the multitude of ornaments, and I am compelled to

wonder how those who bear such a burden are not worried to death. O foolish trouble! O silly
craze for display! They squander meretriciously wealth on what is disgraceful and in their love
for ostentation disfigure God’s gifts, emulating the art of the evil one. The rich man hoarding up
in his bams saying to himself, “You have many goods laid up for many years; eat, drink be
merry,” the Lord in the Gospels plainly called, “Fool! This night your soul will be required o f
you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? ” [Luke 12:19-20]
Apelles the painter, seeing one of his pupils painting a figure loaded with gold color to
represent Helen, said to him, “Boy, being incapable of painting her beautiful, you have made her
rich.” Such Helens are the ladies of the present day, not truly beautiful but richly got up. To
these the Spirit prophesies by Zephaniah, “And their silver and their gold shall not be able to
deliver them in the Day o f the Lord's anger. ” But for those women who have been trained under
Christ, it is suitable to adom themselves not with gold but with the Word, through Whom alone
the gold comes to light.
P salm 2 7:9,2
O Lord, save Your people, bless Your inheritance; shepherd them, raise them up forever. Hear the voice of
my supplication, as I cry to You for help.
189 St. Gregory the Great, Pastoral Care, 11, NPNF, s. 1, v. 12, p. 34.
190 St. Cyprian, To Quirinus, Testimonies against the Jews 12.3.61, ANF, v. 5, p. 550.
191 St. Clement of Alexandria, Christ the Educator, 2.13, ANF, v. 2, p. 269.
Page 89
L uke 9:18~22
And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying,
“Who do the crowds say that I am?” ^ S o they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others
say that one of the old prophets has risen again.” ^ H e said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter
answered and said, “The Christ of God.” 21 And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one,
saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and
be killed, and be raised the third day.”
Why did our Lord command the disciples not to tell these things to anyone?
As the sacred scriptures say, “There is a time for everything. ” [Eccles. 3:1]. There were
things not yet fulfilled such as the cross, the passion, the death in the flesh, the resurrection from
the dead.. .He commanded them, therefore to guard the mystery by a seasonable silence until the
whole plan of the dispensation should arrive at a suitable conclusion. For then, when He arose
from the dead, He commanded his disciples to reveal the mystery to all the inhabitants of the
earth—setting the justification by faith to every man with the cleansing power of holy baptism.
Peter answered and said to the question, “Who you say that I am. ”—’’The Christ, the Son
o f the living God?” When Christ formerly told the Apostles, “What I tell you in the darkness,
speak you in the light, and what you hear in the ear proclaim on the housetops, ” [Matt. 10:27]
He first wished to give catechetical instruction to those Apostles who were to hear the name
of Christ. Once this was digested, so to speak, in the minds of the hearers, there had been a
period of silence in the proclamation of something of this kind about Him. At a more appropriate
time, these former fundamentals were built upon when they said, “Christ Jesus crucified and
raisedfrom the dead. ”
For at the beginning not even the Apostles knew this; for it is written in the passage now
under consideration, “From that time began Jesus to show unto His disciples that He must go
unto Jerusalem ” and suffer this and that [Matt. 14:21].
But if now, for the first time, the Apostles learn from Jesus the things that were about to
happen unto Him, namely, that the elders will plot against Him, that He will be killed, and that
after these things, on the third day, He will rise from the dead...
For when our Savior commanded the disciples to tell no man that He was the Christ,
He wished to reserve the more perfect teaching about Him to a more fitting time. When the
disciples who had seen Him crucified and risen could testify the things relating to His
resurrection to [the others] who had seen Him crucified. For the Apostles were always with Him;
they had seen all the wonderful things which He did; they bore testimony that His words were
words of eternal life, they were offended on the night on which He was betrayed. What do you
suppose would have been the feelings of those who had formerly learned that He was the Christ?
Therefore, I think He gave this command to spare them.
Although the other apostles know, yet Peter answers for them all...thus he who
manifested both the nature and the Name, in whom is the sum of the virtues, encompassed all
things. Do we also ask questions about the generation of God, when Paul has judged that he
192 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 49, Commentary on St. Luke, CLC, p. 221.
193 The Scholar Origen, Second Book on Matthew, Book 12, Ch. 17, ANF, v. 10.
Page 90
knows nothing except Christ Jesus and Him Crucified, and Peter thought nothing else should be
confessed, except that He is the Son of God? we also scrutinize when and how He was bom and
how great He is in the contemplation of human weakness. Paul knew that therein was a
stumbling block of a question, rather than the increase of edification, and therefore he judged
that he knew nothing but Christ Jesus. Peter knew that all things are in the Son of God, “for the
Father has given all things to the Son. ” [John 3:35]
St. Ambrose194
194 St. Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of Luke 6.93, AACS, v. 3, 154.
Page 91
The Sixth H o i/r

Prepare For. H is Suffering a n d the La s t Pays CPa r x III)
Joel 1:5-15 Ps. 28:1,2 Mark 10:32-34
This hour again speaks of the preparation for the end of days, while emphasizing the
weeping and lamenting of those who are not ready. In the prophesy, we hear God telling His
people “wake up, weep, wail and lament...for the day of the LORD is near, and as destruction
from the Almighty it comes. ” (Joel 1:15)
This prophesy prepares us for the message of the fig tree, read on Holy Monday: “He
has...ruined My fig tree; He has stripped it bare and thrown it away; Its branches are made
white... The vine has dried up, and the fig tree has withered. ” (Joel 1:6-7, 12). We also read that
the fig tree “droops” from its curse [Joel 1:12]
The prophesy also prepares us for the message of Holy Tuesday regarding the parable of
the wise and foolish virgins. As Joel instructs us, “Lament like a virgin dressed in sackcloth, for
the husband o f her youth. ” (Joel 1:7-8). We too must lament and weep for our sins. We must
gird ourselves in fasting and vigil in order to meet the Bridegroom.
In this hour’s gospel, we commemorate the Lord’s warning to the disciples. This is our
third preparation for the coming events in this evening. Here, He declares to them that He will
be mocked, scourged, spit upon, and killed.
J oel 1:5-15
Awake, you drunkards, and weep; And wail, all you drinkers of wine, Because of the new wine, For it has
been cut off from your mouth. 6For a nation has come up against My land, Strong, and without number; His teeth
are the teeth of a lion, And he has the fangs of a fierce lion. 7He has laid waste My vine, And ruined My fig tree;
He has stripped it bare and thrown it away; Its branches are made white.
8Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth For the husband of her youth. 9The grain offering and the
drink offering have been cut off from the house of the L o r d ; the priests mourn, who minister to the L o r d . 10The
field is wasted, the land mourns; for the grain is ruined, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails.
1 ^ e ashamed, you farmers, Wail, you vinedressers, for the wheat and the barley; because the harvest of the
field has perished. 12The vine has dried up, And the fig tree has withered; The pomegranate tree, the palm tree
also, And the apple tree- All the trees of the field are withered; Surely joy has withered away from the sons of men.
13Gird yourselves and lament, you priests; Wail, you who minister before the altar; Come, lie all night in
sackcloth, You who minister to my God; For the grain offering and the drink offering Are withheld from the house
of your God. 14Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land
Into the house of the L or d your God, And cry out to the L o r d .
15Alas for the day! For the day of the L or d is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.
Joel again summons us waling and will have the ministers of the alter lament under the
conditions of famine. He does not allow us to revel in the misfortunes of others. After
sanctifying a fast, calling a solemn assembly and gathering the did men, the children, and those
of tender age, we ourselves must further haunt the temple in sackcloth and ashes [Is. 58:5]
prostrated humbly on the ground .because the field is wasted while the meat and the drink
offerings are cut off from the house of the Lord, till we draw down mercy by our humiliation.
O wretched beings who by going after the praise of men waste to themselves all the fruits
of their labors, and while they aim to show themselves to the eyes of others, ruin all that they do.
195 St. Gregory Nazianzen, In Defense of His Flight to Pontus, Oration 2.59, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 217.
Page 92
When the evil spirits prompt them to boastfulness, taking them for a prey they strip bare their
works, as we have said. Thus, the prophet rightly explains the hatred of our old enemies under
the form a of a particular people, says, “It has lad waste my vines and splintered my fig trees; it
has stripped off their bark and thrown it down; their branches are made white. ”
P salm 28:1,2
1Ascribe to the L o r d , O you sons of God, ascribe to the Lord young rams; ascribe to the L ord glory and honor.
2Ascribe to the L o r d the glory of His Name; worship the L or d in holy splendor.
M ark 10:3 2 - 3 4
Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were
amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the
things that would happen to Him: 33”Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be
betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the
Gentiles; 34and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He
will rise again.”
Why did He speak to them privately? Why didn’t He tell the others?
In appreciation of the strife required by His disciples, in order to be able to believe in His
suffering and resurrection, He preferred to confirm those issues to them personally, to let that be
a start and cause, for the initiation of faith in them.
St. Ambrose197
But He speaks with them privately, for it was not proper that His discourse about these
things should be published to the multitude; neither should it be spoken plainly, for there was no
benefit from this. For if the disciples were confused when hearing these things, the multitude of
the people would be much more confused.
“Why then didn’t He tell the people?” you may ask. It was indeed told to the people also,
but not so plainly. For, He said, “I will destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up; ”
[John 2:19] and, “This generation seeks after a sign, and there shall no sign be given it, but the
sign o f Jonah; ” [Matt. 12:39] and again, “Yet a little while a m i with you, and you shall seek Me,
and shall not find M e.” [John 7:33,34]
However, He spoke the same message to the disciples more plainly. Then why did He
say these things at all to the multitude if they did not understand the might of His sayings? So
that they might learn after these things [had passed], He came to His passion, knowingly and
willingly; neither in ignorance, nor by constraint. But this was not the reason He foretold His
passion to the disciples. But, as I have said, He told them these things so they would expect
the events and might endure the passion more easily—so that it would not confound them
by coming upon them without preparation.
So for this cause, while at the beginning He only spoke of His death, when they were
practiced and trained to hear of it, He adds the other circumstances also. For example, He adds
that they should deliver Him to the Gentiles, that they should mock and scourge Him. He also
spoke to them so that when they saw the mournful events come to pass, they might expect from
this the resurrection also. For He who had not cloaked from them what would give pain, and
what seemed to be matter of reproach, would reasonably be believed about good things too.
196 St. Gregory the Great, Morals on the Book of Job 2.8.82, AACS OT v. 14, p. 62.
197 Excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Mark.
But see how carefully and wisely He instructs them at the right time. For He neither
told them these things at the beginning, so He would not worry them; nor at the time itself, so He
would not confound them But when they had received sufficient proof of His power, when He
had given them promises that were very great concerning life everlasting, then He introduces
also what He had to say concerning these things, once and twice and often interweaving it with
His miracles and His instructions.
Here also, the Savior of all, as He was approaching Jerusalem, prepared the minds of His
disciples for what would happen to Him on the Cross —His death in the flesh. He assured them
that He is going to rise again, wiping out all His sufferings, and disgrace, through the power of a
miraculous resurrection. It is a glorious thing, fitting for God, to destroy the chains of death, and
to regain life ... The resurrection would bear testimony that He is God and the Son of God, as
expressed by St. Paul. By that, He spared them beforehand all unfitting thoughts, and saved them
of any chance of offense.
St. Cyril the Great199
He said that in order to steadfast His disciples’ hearts; as when they hear
beforehand what is going to happen, they would be in a better condition, than if confronted
by the actual events unprepared. He wanted to make it clear to them that He is suffering by His
own choice, knowing the danger that is chasing Him, not trying to avoid it, despite His power to
do that. ... He took His disciples aside, as it is fitting to proclaim the secret of His passions, only
to those very close to Him.
The Blessed Theophylact200
Did the Apostles understand that He would die?
They must have known or else there would be no benefit for the prediction. If they did
not know what they were hearing, they could neither look for the event, nor could they benefit
from it with their expectations.. .If they did not know, why were they sad.. .and why would Peter
say, “Be it far from You. this shall not be unto You? ” [Matt. 16:22].. .Surely, they knew that He
would die, but they did not clearly understand the mystery of the Incarnation, .. .the resurrection,
neither what He was to achieve. For these things were hidden from them. This is why they felt
pain. For some they had known to have been raised again by other persons, but for any one to
have raised up himself again, and in such wise to have raised himself as not to die any more, they
had never known. This then they did not understand, though often said; nay nor of this self-same
death did they clearly know what it was, and how it should come on Him. Wherefore also they
were amazed as they followed Him, but not for this cause only; but to me at least He seems even
to amaze them by discoursing of His passion.

199 St. Cyril the Great, Commentary on Mark
200 The Blessed Theophylact (Pope of Bulgaria), Commentary on Matthew.
Page 94
Prepare For H is Suffering a n d the L ast P ays (P a r t 111)

Micah 2:3-10 Ps. 16:6, 1 Mark 8:27-33
The prophesy of Micah in this hour speaks of the suffering of the Lord. Here, the Lord
says that the evil doers will “strip the robe from the peaceful, from those who pass by trustingly
with no thought o f war” [v. 8]. St. Hippolytus says this refers to the Lord’s robe of glory which
appears dipped in blood in Rev. 19:13.
Again, in the gospel we hear the Lord preparing the disciples for His suffering, “He
began to teach them that the Son o f Man must suffer many things. ” (Mk. 8:31)
M icah 2?3-10
Therefore thus says the L o r d : “Behold, against this family I am devising disaster, From which you cannot
remove your necks; Nor shall you walk haughtily, For this is an evil time. 4In that day one shall take up a proverb
against you, And lament with a bitter lamentation, saying: ‘We are utterly destroyed! He has changed the heritage of
my people; How He has removed it from me! To a turncoat He has divided our fields.’ “ th erefo re you will have
no one to determine boundaries by lot In the assembly of the L o r d .
6”D o not prattle,” you say to those who prophesy. So they shall not prophesy to you; They shall not return
insult for insult. 1You who are named the house of Jacob: “Is the Spirit of the L ord restricted? Are these His
doings? Do not My words do good To him who walks uprightly?
8”Lately My people have risen up as an enemy—You pull off the robe with the garment From those
who trust you, as they pass by, Like men returned from war. 9The women of My people you cast out From their
pleasant houses; From their children You have taken away My glory forever.
10”Arise and depart, For this is not your rest; Because it is defiled, it shall destroy, Yes, with utter
destruction.
See then, brethren, how the vesture sprinkled with blood denoted in symbol the flesh,
through which the impassible Word of God came under suffering, as also the prophets testify to
me. For thus speaks the blessed Micah “The house o f Jacob provoked the Spirit o f the Lord to
anger. These are their pursuits. Are not His words good with them, and do they walk rightly?
And they have risen up in enmity against His countenance o f peace, and they have stripped off
His glory. ” [Micah 2:7-8] That means His suffering in the flesh.
St. Hippolytus202
P salm 16?6* l
I call upon you, for You will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me, hear my words. Hear a just cause,
O God; attend to my cry; and give ear to my supplication.
MARK 8 : 2 7 - 3 3
Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His
disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?” 28So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah;
and others, one of the prophets.” 29He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to
Him, “You are the Christ.” 30Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.
31And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the
elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He spoke this word openly.
And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples,
He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of
men.”
202 St. Hippolytus, Against the Heresy of Noetus §15, ANF, v. 5.
Page 95
,
Did the Lord teach the disciples about the Old Testament prophesies or did He explain the
theological concept of His salvation?
Certain scholars believe that the Gospel according to St. Mark can be divided into two
main parts: the first proclaims the Lord Christ as the Servant for mankind, who works and
teaches in all love and compassion, accompanied by the shadow of the Cross. The second part
consists of the actual stage of the crucifixion, which begins at the question posed by the Lord in
8:27: “Who do people say that I am?”...The Lord Christ revealed to them that it would not be
possible to fulfill salvation through the death of anyone except that of the Son of Man, the only
One capable of ending death itself, and of rising again.
Fr. Tadros Malaty203
“These are the words which I spoke unto you while I was yet with you, that all things
must be fulfilled which were written in the law o f Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms,
concerning Me. Then opened He their understanding, that they should understand the Scriptures,
and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise again
from the dead, and that repentance for the remission of sins be preached in His name among all
nations.
St. Irenaeus204
Nobody has reached the level of greatness that qualifies him to absolve the sins of the
whole world; neither ‘Enoch,’ nor ‘Abraham,’ nor ‘Isaac,’ who surrendered himself to death, yet
was unable to forgive sins. Who is He, by whose death all sins are put to death? Nobody of the
congregation or the leaderships can do that. So the Father chose the Son, the Son of God, who is
above all, to offer Himself for everyone’s sake. He Himself wished to die, as He is stronger than
death and capable of saving others; He rose from the dead without help, conquered death without
support from man or any other creature; He rose to abolish slavery to lusts, as He did not
acknowledge the chains of death.
St. Ambrose205
Messiah in the Hebrew language means Christ in Greek; in Latin it is interpreted as the
Anointed One. Hence, chrisma in Greek means “anointing” in Latin. The Lord is named Christ,
that is the Anointed One, because as Peter says, “God has anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and
with power. ” [Acts 10:38] Hence the Psalmist also speaks in his praise, “God, your God, has
anointed you with the oil o f gladness above your companions. ” [Ps. 45:7] he calls us His
companions since we have also been fully anointed with visible chrism for the reception of the
Grace of the Holy Spirit in Baptism, and we are called Christians from Christ’s name.
Bede the Venerable206
203 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Patristic Commentary on Mark, p. 10.

204 St. Irenaeus, Against the Heresies, ANF, v. 1, §5.
205 St. Ambrose, Excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Mark.
206 Bede, Homilies on the Gospels 1.16, BOG, v.l, p. 174; AACS, v. 3, p. 110.
Page 96
T he E leventh H our
Prepare For H is Suffering a n p the La s t P ays (P a r t IV)
Micah 3:1-4 Ps. 17:17, 18 Matt. 17:19-23
During the eleventh hour, we continue in the prophesies in the book of Micah. We also
continue to explore the passages that our Lord explained to His disciples privately saying, "The
Son o f Man is about to be betrayed into the hands o f men. ” (Matt. 17:19-23).
Micah 3:1-4
And I said: “Hear now, O heads of Jacob, And you rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know
justice? 2You who hate good and love evil; Who strip the skin from My people, And the flesh from their bones;
3Who also eat the flesh of My people, Flay their skin from them, Break their bones, And chop them in pieces
Like meat for the pot, Like flesh in the caldron.” 4Then they will cry to the L o r d , But He will not hear them; He
will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have been evil in their deeds.
They acted like men that knew the Law; how then are they accursed? You who do not
keep the Law are cursed; those who obey the Law are not cursed. Neither was it right, on the
evidence of unbelievers, to slander one in whom they believed not, for this is an unjust mode of
acting. For you also did not believe God, as Paul says; “What if some did not believe? shall their
unbelief make the faith o f God o f none effect? God forbid.” (Rom. 3:3,4). For the Prophets
always rebuked them, saying, “Hear, you rulers of Sodom and, “Your rulers are disobedient”
(Is. 1:10,23); and again, “Is it not for you to know judgment?” (Mic. 3:1) And everywhere they
attack them vehemently. What then? Shall one blame God for this? Perish the thought. This
blame is theirs. And what other proof can a man bring of your not knowing the Law than your
not obeying it? For when they had said, “Do any o f the rulers believe on Him? ” and, “These
who do not know the Law. ”
P s a l m 1 8 : 1 7 , 18
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my affliction.
Since the world’s waves and currents was about to devour me, He came down from
heaven to embrace carrying to His heavens, destroying the gates of hell with His cross and save
me from death and all the armies of darkness who hate me and ask her eternal death. If Satan
and all his soldiers are powerful yet there is one who can save me out of their hands and ascends
me with Him. The psalmist realizes how the strong enemies are agitated against him that he
resembled one who is immersed in many waters, in his human incapability it was impossible for
him to be delivered, but God...Delivered him first from that mighty giant Goliath, and then from
Saul and his war-men, and afterwards from the Palestinians and Syrians and other nations, and at
last from his rebellious son Absalom. All this was but a symbol to what David’s soul suffered on
realizing that the gates of hell enclose him by the hands of his true enemies like Satan, his
soldiers, sins and condemning him with eternal death .... this matter that he can’t be saved out of
it except by the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, the conquer of death and the one who releases the
souls out of hell to the freedom of Paradise.
207 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Gospel of St. John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 425.
208 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on the Psalms.
<^>
Matthew
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20So Jesus said to
them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this
mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21However, this kind
does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
22Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed
into the hands of men, 23and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were
exceedingly sorrowful.
Why does He tell them about His passion in advance?
Therefore, He brought the disciples to the mountain and showed them the glory with
which He will shine on the universe in the future. Then coming down from the mountain He
freed a person from a rough and evil spirit. It was altogether necessary for Him to undergo His
saving Passion for us and to suffer the violence of the Jews. When this happened, it was quite
likely that the disciples would be alarmed and would ponder it and say among themselves, “He
has raised so many from the dead by divine power, He commands the seas and winds, He
overwhelms Satan with His words. How has He now been taken and fallen to the noose of His
murderers? Then maybe we were deceived when we thought that He was God?” So they should
know the future fully and completely, therefore He foretells to them the mystery of the Passion.
“And they were exceedingly sorrowful” (Matt 17:23)
[After hearing about His Passion, the disciples] did not even want to see Jerusalem....
[After the glory of the transfiguration and]...after so many miracles had taken place and the
resurrection was close by (for He said that He would not remain in death but would rise on the
third day)—they could not endure this at all. But they were “distressed” and not simply
“distressed” but “greatly distressed. ” This happened because they did not yet recognize the
power of what He said....But if they did not know it, why were they distressed? Because
they were not completely ignorant. They understood that He would die, because they
continually heard this. They did not understand what type of death this was, how quick He would
be released from it, and that this death would work innumerable blessings. They did not clearly
know that this what this resurrection would be. They grieved because they could not understand
this. Therefore, they clung very earnestly to their Master.
Whenever the Lord speaks of future disaster, He always teaches its close relation with the
joy of redemption, so that when disasters suddenly come they do not terrify the apostles, but may
be borne by hearts that have meditated on them beforehand. If it saddens them because He is
going to be killed, it should make them rejoice that it says, “On the third day He shall rise
again. ” For their distress—in fact their great distress—does not come from lack of faith. They
knew that Peter had been rebuked for not considering what belonged to God but what belonged
to men. But their love of their Master did not let them hear anything threatening or humiliating.
St. Jerome211
209 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Fragment 209, AACS lb, pp. 62-63.
210 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, Homily 58.1, NPNF, v. s., v. 10, p. 358.
211 St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew, 3.17.23, AACS v. lb, p. 62.
Page 98
C hapter 6
Holy Monday
“The Tree of L ife"
Page 99
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church .1 The Holy Pascha
In the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Life (Gen. 2:9, 3:22). When
man ate from this tree, he fell into sin and was cast out of the garden of God, of heaven on earth.
In the Book of Revelation, are told that to those who overcome, God will allow them to eat from
the Tree of Life (Rev. 2:7, 22:2, 22:14). Many of the fathers, such as St. Ephram the Syrian,212
St. Basil, St. Augustine213 and St. John of Damascus elaborated on how the Cross was this Tree
of Life mentioned here. Thus, through the Passion of our Lord, we are able to eat of the Tree of
Life, the Cross, which gives us the fruit of salvation and eternal life. As the first tree brought
about death, sin and the curse of man; the second Tree brought salvation and righteousness.
Holy Pascha Monday focuses first on the story of Adam and Eve: their creation (1st hour
prophesy), their sin, and their removal from the Garden of Eden (9th hour prophesy). Once they
sinned they could not remain any longer in Eden because good and evil cannot coexist. (11th
hour Homily).
As Adam and Eve covered their sin with the fig tree, Christ rebukes the fig tree to tell us
that we can no longer cover our sins with a cloak of hypocrisy. As St. John Chrysostom said,
“The fig tree with its broad leaves represents the wide road. Also it reminds us of the sin which
Adam tried to cover with its leaves.” Adorn yourselves with virtue so we will not experience the
wrath of God, but His mercy. Thus, we must not only free our lives from hypocritical living
(11th hour prophesy of Sirach) but also our churches (11th hour Homily).
During this week, the Church appropriately has us read many passages on wisdom. This
is because each time we open the scriptures and read, we ask God to grant us wisdom to
understand the divine word of God. The Church has the deacon remind us of this in before the
reading of the gospel, both during the Divine Liturgy as well as the gospel readings this week
(although in a different tune). Thus, today’s readings include passages from the Wisdom of
Solomon, the Wisdom of Sirach, and the Book of Proverbs for the same purpose. The word
wisdom appears over 300 times in the Old Testament; more than half of which are included in
the “wisdom books” (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach).
The believer understands any reference to Wisdom in the Old Testament as referring to
our Lord Jesus Christ. As St. Paul says, “But o f Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us
wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ” (1 Cor. 1:30) This
was St. Paul’s ambition, to know Christ. (Phil. 3:10). Such knowledge of God is eternal life,
itself as our Lord explained to us: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. ” (John 17:3)
HOUR 1st 3 rd
6th g th
11 th
Theme The F ig Tree Man ’s The Two The Sold Into
and the Vine Punishment Edged Sword Knowledge o f Slavery,
and The G ood and evil Sanctify the
Vineyard Temple
Prophesies Gen. l:l-2 :3 Is. 5:20-30 Ex. 32:7-15 Gen. 2:15- Is. 50:1-3
Is. 5:1-9 Jer. 9:12-19 Wisd. 1:1-9 3:24 Josh. 1:25-30
Josh. 1:1-24 Is. 40:1-5
Prov. 1:1-9
Sermon St. Shenouda — — — St. Shenouda
Psalm 71:18, 19 121:1,2 121:4 64:4,5 12:3,4
Gospel M ark 11:12-24 M ark 11:11-19 John 2:13-17 Matt. 21:23-27 John 8:51-59
212 St. Ephram the Syrian, Commentary on Genesis, FC v. 91.

213 St. Augustine, Confessions, Ch. 26, NPNF, s. 1, v. 1.
Page 100
The Fig Tree a n d th e Vine

Gen. l:l-2:3; Is. 5:1-9; Sir. 1:1-24; Ps. 71:18,19; Mk. 11:12-24
“Now let me sing to my well-beloved.99(Is. 5:1)
This Love song spoken about by Isaiah the prophet proclaims the story of divine love.
God has eternally and freely given man a perfect love. But from the beginning of creation, man
was unwilling, incapable, and obstinate to provide God with the love due to Him. The theme of
Pascha Monday is this divine love for man, begun in creation, perfected in Crucifixion,
continuing in heaven.
The first reading is the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis. How appropriate it is that on
the first hour of the first full day of Pascha that we read the first chapter in the first book of the
Bible. Furthermore, the focus of this day is on the fig tree, the symbol of sin. Thus, we begin
from the origins of this symbolism with the story Adam and Eve. We read here of God’s love
for man, and the love between Adam and Eve, which were destroyed through sin. The symbol of
this sin which separated man from God was the fig tree—which Adam covered himself with.
This same symbol of sin is condemned by the Second Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the
parable of the fig tree.
The second reading is the song of love mentioned above by Isaiah 5:1-9. It contains
prophesies about the Crucifixion of the Lord, through the winepress. Instead of focusing on the
fig tree of sin, this focuses on the vine of salvation which is God’s plant.
The final reading is the reading from the Wisdom of Sirach—the first selection from the
Deuterocanonical books read in the Holy Pascha Week. As Adam ate from the tree of knowledge
of good and evil, Sirach declares to us about the true tree of life, whose “root” is wisdom, its
“branches are long life” and the tree “satisfies men with her fruits. ” It is this tree of wisdom
that was before all creation, the tree of life, the Cross and its fruit is the Lord Himself.
Thus, the first reading of the Old Testament speaks about the need for the Cross (through
Adam’s fall); the second speaks about the Cross itself (in the image of the vineyard); and the
third speaks about the fruits of the cross (wisdom, fear, and patience).
The last preparatory reading before reading the gospel, is the homily of St. Shenouda the
Archimandrite. This gives a practical instruction on how to prepare for holy Pascha by sitting
alone with ourselves every evening after the prayers. A special hymn is chanted to introduce this
homily, as with every homily read during this Holy Pascha week.
Then, Psalm 71:18-19 is chanted during this hour—the psalm also chanted during the
Third Canticle of the Midnight Psalmody. This speaks of praise to God for His mighty wonders
that He bestows upon us.
Finally, the gospel reading of this hour contains the curse of the fig tree, the focus not
only of this hour but of the entire day.
Page 101
•&>
G e n e s i s l: 1 - 2 : 3
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form, and void; and
darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3Then God
said, “Let there be light5’; and there was light. 4And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light
from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning
were the first day.
6Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the
waters.” 7Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters
which were above the firmament; and it was so. 8And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the
morning were the second day.
9Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land
appear”; and it was so. 10And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas.
And God saw that it was good. 1lrThen God said, “Let the earth bring forth plants, the herb that yields seed, and the
fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. 12And the earth
brought forth plants, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in
itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13So the evening and the morning were the third day.
14Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and
let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15and let them be for lights in the firmament of the
heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day,
and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. 17God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give
light on the earth, 18and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God
saw that it was good. 19So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the
earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” 21So God created great sea creatures and every living thing
that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good. 22And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the
seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping
thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. 25And God made the beast of the earth
according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And
God saw that it was good.
26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have
dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over
every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He
created him; male and female He created them. 28Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and
multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and
over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
29And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and
every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30A1so, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the
air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it
was so. 31Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning
were the sixth day.
2:1Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2And on the seventh day God
ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3Then
God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and
made.
Page 102
Created In His image and Likeness214
By what the Lord said when He saw the coin of Caesar: “Render to Caesar the things
that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's” (Matt. 22:12). He means, as Caesar
requests you to seal his image, God also requests the same. Thus, Caesar’s coin would be given
back to him; while the soul would be returned to God, enlightened and sealed with the splendor
of His image.
St. Augustine
Notice the superiority of the creation of man, not found in any other creature. God did
create man according to His own image and likeness. That is not found in the creation of heaven,
or earth, or the sun, or the moon. What is created in God’s image is our inner man, the unseen
which is not carnal, or dead, or mortal. By these real traits, the image of God is characterized and
recognized.
The Scholar Origen
You have printed Your traits on us! You created us in Your image and according Your
likeness! You made us Your currency; yet Your coins should not remain in darkness. Send the
ray of Your wisdom to scatter our darkness, for Your image to shine in us.. .Do not think how to
return the reward to Him... Reflect back on His image; He does not ask for more...He wants His
coin back... Do offer Him something of yours, because when you do this, you would only offer
Him sin.
Saint Augustine
Let us wake up, we are still, not yet a dry land! Let .us present to God much and
diversified fruits, to be blessed by the Lord, who may say: “The smell o f my son is like the smell
o f a field which the Lord has blessed” (Gen 27: 27); and, in us, would be realized the saying of
the apostle: “For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs
useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessings from God; but if it bears thorns and
briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end I to be burned. ” (Heb. 6:7, 8).
The Scholar Origen
Isaiah. 5 : 1 ~ 9
Now let me sing to my Well-beloved A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:
My Well-beloved has a vineyard On a very fruitful hill. 2He dug it up and cleared out its stones, And
planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, And also made a winepress in it So He expected
it to bring forth good grapes, But it brought forth wild grapes.
3”And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.
4What more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it
to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes? 5And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My
vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
6I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug, But there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the
clouds That they rain no rain on it.”
7For the vineyard of the L o r d of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah are His pleasant
plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry fo r help.
214 The following are all excerpts from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Genesis, p. 36.
Page 103
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church # The Holy Pascha
8Woe to those who join house to house; They add field to field, Till there is no place Where they may
dwell alone in the midst of the land! 9In my hearing the L or d of hosts said, “Truly, many houses shall be desolate,
Great and beautiful ones, without inhabitant.
What do the vine and the winepress represent?
The vine which produced wild grapes instead of good grapes was mankind, which instead
of producing repentance and love; produced sin and separation...Thus, the Logos came as the
new vine to save us from sin. We now are planted in Him so that we can bear these fruits of
repentance and love. (John 15:5) Thus, the Lord declares Himself to be the true vine (John 15:1).
The Winepress mentioned in Is. 5:2 is a symbol of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the blood of our Lord that came from His side is none other than the wine of love that brings
joy to every believer’s heart.
Fr. Tadros Malaty^15
But though He endured these things, having come for the salvation of all, yet the people
returned Him an evil recompense. Jesus said, I thirst—He who had brought forth the waters for
them out of the dry rock; and He asked fruit of the Vine which He had planted.
But does the Vine do? This Vine, which was by nature of the holy fathers, but of Sodom
by purpose of heart—for their Vine is o f Sodom, and their tendrils o f Gomorrah.” [Deu. 32:32]
This Vine, when the Lord was athirst, having filled a sponge and put it on a reed, offers Him
vinegar. “They gave Me also gall for My food, and in My thirst, they gave Me vinegar to drink ”
[Ps. 69:21] You see the clearness of the Prophets’ description. But what sort of gall put they into
My mouth? They gave Him, it says, wine mingled with myrrh. [Mk. 15:23] Now myrrh is in taste
like gall, and very bitter.
Is this how you repay the Lord? Are these your offerings, O Vine, unto your Master?
Rightly did the Prophet Isaiah aforetime bewail you, saying, My well-beloved had a vineyard in
a hill in a fruitful place; [Is. 5:1-2] and (not to recite the whole) I waited, he says, that it should
bring forth grapes. I thirsted that it should give wine; but it brought forth thorns; for you see
the crown, with which I am adorned.
He made a winepress, because the mysteries of Christ’s Passions are like new wine... The
congregation thought that the disciples were drunk, as they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 3:13).
He dug a basin for a wine press to pour in it the inner fruit.
St. Ambrose 217
God planted the vine of mankind, when He first created Adam, and elected the fathers.
Then He presented it to the hands of vinedressers, when He set the Mosaic ordinance; and fenced
around it by presenting special instructions to worship Him; built a tower through selecting
Jerusalem; and dug a vine press, as He set a container for the prophetical spirit. He sent prophets
prior to the Babylonian captivity, then more prophets during and after it, seeking fruits.
St. Irenaeus218
215 See Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Isaiah, Ch. 5.

216 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 13 §29, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.
217 St. Irenaeus, In Luc. 20:9-19, ANF, v. 1.
218 St. Irenaeus, Against the Heresies, Book 4, Ch. 36, §2, ANF, v. 1.
Page 104
The Cross is a Winepress. God is pressed on the Cross in the most vicious battle in
human History. No one shared it with Him, for He says, '7 have trodden the winepress alone,
and from the peoples no one was with m e ” (Is. 63:3). Because it is Divine Blood, it will always
remain on the altar to give power to all humans to pass over from death to life.”
Fr. Pishoy Kamel219
"What more could have been done to My vineyard?”
There is nothing more difficult for a father than to enter into a tribunal with a beloved
son. Yet, because of the hardness of man’s heart, God sought to debate His people, asking:
“What more could have been done to my vineyard? ” (Is. 5:4) The strange thing is that He left the
verdict to the other party, to His oppressors, to condemn themselves by themselves. That is the
way of God in dealing with us; He exposes us before ourselves, and reveals our weaknesses
before our eyes; letting us condemn ourselves by ourselves; not out of desire to punish or
conquer us, but to seek our return to Him, and to enter into a relationship of love with Him.
What more could God have done for us?! He created us from nothing; brought us forth
according to His likeness; delivered to us the earth with all that are on and beneath it; set the
stars for our sake; and when our nature got corrupted, He sent us His Law and prophets; and
finally He came by Himself, to write the song of His love by the blood of His body on the Cross!
This is to tell us how God has done everything possible for us to enjoy His paradise. He
also considers us as part of His vineyard, for we are likened in this day to the fig tree, as in the
parable spoken of by our Lord. See how much care He has taken for us, to create us in His
image and establish us with great authority! Let me then ask myself: Am I the source of His
grief? Have I caused Him to shed these tears? Have I hardened my heart against Him or
moved His heart to pain and agony? Oh let this be my research, my discovery, my
repentance.
Hasn’t he made a world that teaches His loving-kindness and His power? For even ‘the
heavens declare the glory o f God.' (Ps. 19:1). Hasn’t He also sent prophets? Hasn’t He both
called and honored us? Hasn’t He done wonders? Hasn’t He given a law both written and
natural? Hasn’t He sent His Son? Hasn’t He commissioned Apostles? Hasn’t He wrought sins?
Hasn’t He threatened hell? Hasn’t He promised the kingdom? Doesn’t He make the sun to rise
every day? Aren’t the things which He has enjoined so simple and easy, that many transcend His
commandments in the greatness of their self-denial? What more could have been done to My
vineyard and I have not done in it? ’ (Is. 5:4)
What does the hedge around the garden symbolize?
What the middle wall of partition is, [Isaiah] interprets by saying, “the enmity having
abolished in His flesh, even the law o f commandments contained in ordinances. ” Some indeed
affirm that he means the wall of the Jews against the Greeks, because it did not allow the Jews to
hold intercourse with the Greeks.
219 Fr. Pishoy Kamel, PBB, p. 7.

220 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Isaiah, Ch. 5.
221 St. John Chrysostom, Homily II on 1 Corinthians, NPNF, s. 1, v. 12, p. 38
Page 105
To me, however, this does not seem to be the meaning, but rather that he calls “the
enmity in the flesh, ” a middle wall, like a common barrier that separates us from God. As the
Prophet says, “Your iniquities separate between you and Me; ” [Is. 59:2] for that enmity which
He had both against Jews and Gentiles was, as it were, a middle wall. And this, whilst the law
existed, was not only not abolished, but rather was strengthened; “for the law, ” the Apostle says,
“works wrath. ” [Rom. 4:15] Just in the same way then as when he says in that passage, “the law
works wrath,” he does not ascribe the whole of this effect to the law itself, but it is to be
understood, that it is because we have transgressed it; so also in this place he calls it a middle
wall, because through being disobeyed it wrought enmity.
The law was a hedge, but this it was made for the sake of security, and for this reason
was called “a hedge,” to the intent that it might form an enclosure. For listen again to the
Prophet, where he says, “I made a trench about it. ” [Is. 5:2]. And again, ‘Why have you broken
down her fences, so that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit. ’ [Ps. 80:12] Here, therefore, it
means security. Again, 7 will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be trodden down.' [Is.
5:5] And again, “He gave them the law for a defense. ” [Is. 8:20] And again, ‘The Lord executes
righteous acts and made known His ways unto Israel. ’ [Ps. 103:6,7] It became, however, a
middle wall, no longer establishing them in security, but cutting them off from God. Such then is
the middle wall of partition formed out of the hedge. And to explain what this is, he subjoins,
“the enmity in His flesh having abolished, the law o f commandments. ”
S i r a c h 1: U 2 4
All wisdom comes from the Lord and is with Him forever.2 The sand of the sea, the drops of rain, and the days
of eternity —who can count them? 3The height of heaven, the breadth of the earth, the abyss, and wisdom —who can
search them out?
4 Wisdom was created before all things, and prudent understanding from eternity. 5. The root of wisdom - to
whom has it been revealed? Her clever devices—who knows them?
6There is One who is wise, greatly to be feared, sitting upon His throne. 7The Lord Himself created wisdom;
He saw her and apportioned her, He poured her out upon all His works. 8 She dwells with all flesh according
to His gift, and He supplied her to those who love Him.
9 The fear of the Lord is glory and exultation, and gladness and a crown of rejoicing. 10 The fear of the Lord
delights the heart, and gives gladness and joy and long life .11With him who fears the Lord it will go well at the end;
on the day of his death he will be blessed.
12 To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; she is created with the faithful in the womb. 13 She made among
men an eternal foundation, and among their descendants she will be trusted. 14 To fear the Lord is wisdom’s full
measure; she satisfies men with her fruits; 15 she fills their whole house with desirable goods, and their storehouses
with her produce. 16The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom, making peace and perfect health to flourish.17He
saw her and apportioned her; He rained down knowledge and discerning comprehension, and He exalted the glory of
those who held her fast. 18 To fear the Lord is the root of wisdom, and her branches are long life...22
Unrighteous anger cannot be justified, for a man’s anger tips the scale to his ru in .23 A patient man will endure until
the right moment, and then joy will burst forth for him .24He will hide his words until the right moment, and the lips
of many will tell of his good sense.
P sa lm 71*18,19'
18 Blessed is the L o r d , the God of Israel, who alone does great wonders.19 Blessed is His glorious Name
forever; even forever and ever.
Mark 11:12~24
Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13And seeing from afar a fig
tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing
222 St. John Chrysostom, Homily V on Ephesians, NPNF, s. 1, v. 13.
Page 106
but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever
again.” And His disciples heard it.
15 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and
sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16And
He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not
written, ‘My house shall be called a house ofprayer fo r all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den o f thieves. ’ “
18And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because
all the people were astonished at His teaching. 19When evening had come, He went out of the city.
20N ow in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21And Peter,
remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” 22So Jesus answered
and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and
be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have
whatever he says. 24Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them,
and you will have them.
Why did our Lord curse the fig tree and why did He expected to find fruit on it if it was not the
time of year for figs?
Our Lord cursed the fig tree so the disciples might have confidence. For because
everywhere He conferred benefits, but punished no man. He needed to demonstrate for them
proof of His power to take vengeance for two reasons: first, so that the disciples might learn; and
second, so that the Jews might learn, that He was able to blast them that crucify Him, but
submitted of His own will and did not blast them. For it was not His will to demonstrate this
vengeance upon men; but He furnished the proof of His might in taking vengeance on the fig
tree. But when anything like this is done to places, to plants, or to animals, do not be curious, nor
say that the fig-tree was unfairly dried up because it was not the time o f figs—for this it is the
most trifling thing to say. Rather, behold the miracle, and admire and glorify its Maker.
When Matthew introduces them plucking the ears of com, and eating (Matt. 12:1), and
when he says that Jesus came to the fig-tree by reason of hunger (Matt. 21:18), it is only to
instruct us to despise the belly, and not to deem that its service is anxiously to be attended to.
You perhaps, as a good and simple farmer, will entreat the Master still to spare the fig
tree, delay cutting it down (though it was accused of unfruitfulness), and allow you to fertilize it
with tears, sighs, invocations, sleeping on the ground, vigils, mortifications of soul and body, and
correction by confession and a life of humiliation. But it is uncertain if the Master will spare it,
since such longsuffering and mercy will burden and degrade someone else’s ground. Let us then
be buried with Christ through Baptism so we may also rise with Him. Let us descend with Him,
that we may also be exalted with Him. Let us ascend with Him, that we may also be glorified
together.
223 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 67 on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, p. 865.

224 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 31 on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 254.
225 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 40: Oration on Holy Baptism, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 702.
Page 107
i
4
Christ Hungers and Thirsts For our Salvation
Did Christ really want physically to relish and consume the fruit Himself? When He
sought the fruit of it s fig tree? And if He had found it there, would He then even have eaten it?
did He really want to drink water when he said to the woman of Samaria, “Give Me a drink ”?
When He was on the Cross saying, “I thirst, ” was this really all about His physical thirst? For
what does Christ hunger more than our good works? For what does Christ thirst more than for
our faithful response?
St. Augustine226
The Fig Tree as a symbol of the Jews
The fig tree is a symbol of the Jewish nation, which had the outward appearance of fruits,
because they had followed the letter of the law. But they lacked fruit in that they did not abide
by the Spirit of the law and “neglected the weightier things o f the law. ” They continued to
question His authority even to the last moment (9th hour gospel). Christ had rejected the Jews, as
they were plotting to slaughter Him.
Truly, when He came and found no fruit in [the Jews], He cursed them through the fig-
tree, saying, ‘Let there be henceforth no fruit from you; ’ and the fig-tree was dead and fruitless
so that even the disciples wondered when it withered away...The Lord cursed them under the
figure of the fig-tree. And yet, you still He spared them in His loving-kindness, and did not
destroy the root and the entire tree. For He did not curse the root, but [said] that no man will eat
fruit of it thenceforth. When He did this, He abolished the shadow, causing it to wither; but
preserved the root, so that we might [not] be grafted upon it; ‘they too, if they abide not in
unbelief may attain to be grafted into their own olive tree. ’ Now when the Lord had cursed them
because of their negligence, He removed from them the new moons, the true lamb, and that
which is truly the Passover.
St. Athanasius227
Those fixed only upon the plain sense of scripture tend to focus merely upon miracle for
miracle’s sake. Hence they may prematurely conclude that Jesus Himself was ignorant of the
time of the year, something any ordinary farmer could discern. For it was not yet the season for
the tree to bear fruit. Nevertheless, since He was hungry, He looked for fruit on the tree. Does
this imply that Christ knew less than what every peasant could easily discern? Clearly not.
Wouldn’t you expect the Maker of the fig tree to know what the ordinary orchard worker would
know in a snap?...
What a terrible thing did the poor tree done in not giving fruit? Could the tree be blamed
for its fruitfulness? No. but human beings who by their own free will decide not to bear fruit—
that is a different matter. Those found wanting in accountability in this case are those who had
the benefit of the law, which was meant to bear fruit, but they had no fruit to show for it. They
ad a full growth of leaves (the law), yet they bore no fruit (works of mercy).
St. Augustine228
226 St. Augustine, On the Psalms 35.15, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8, p. 83.

227 St. Athanasius, Letter 6, NPNF, s. 2, v. 4, pp. 1245.
228 St. Augustine, Sermons on New Testament Lessons 48.3, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6, pp. 413-14.
Page 108
The fig tree m i Aiam m i Eve?
At the time of the sin, Adam and Eve clothed themselves with fig-leaves. For this cause,
Jesus also made the fig-tree the last of His signs. For when He was about to go to His passion,
He curses the fig-tree. He curses not every fig-tree, but that one alone, for the sake of the figure,
saying, ‘No more let any man eat fruit o f you;9 let the doom be canceled. And because they
aforetime clothed themselves with fig-leaves, He came at a season when food was not wont to be
found on the fig-tree. Who knows not that in winter-time the fig-tree bears no fruit, but is clothed
with leaves only? Was Jesus ignorant of this, which all knew? No but though He knew, yet He
came as if seeking; not ignorant that He should not find, but demonstrating that the emblematical
curse extended to the leaves only.
You, O Lord, are the pure and eternal fountain of goodness Who justly turned away
from us, and in loving kindness had mercy upon us. You hated, and were reconciled. You
cursed, and blessed. You banished us from Paradise, and recalled us. You stripped off the
fig-tree leaves, an unseemly covering, and put upon us a costly garment. You opened the
prison, and released the condemned. You sprinkled us with clean water, and cleansed us from
our filthiness. Adam will not be confused anymore when You call Him, nor will he hide
himself, convicted by his conscience, cowering in the thicket of Paradise. Nor shall the
flaming sword encircle Paradise around, and make the entrance inaccessible to those that
draw near. But all is turned to joy for us that were the heirs of sin...
Adam received the sentence, Cursed is the ground in your labors; thorns and thistles
shall it bring forth to you. For this cause Jesus assumes the thorns, that He may cancel the
sentence; for this cause also was He buried in the earth, that the earth which had been cursed
might receive the blessing instead of a curse. At the time of the sin, they clothed themselves with
fig-leaves; for this cause Jesus also made the fig-tree the last of His signs. For when about to go
to His passion, He curses the fig-tree, not every fig-tree, but that one alone, for the sake of the
figure; saying, No more let any man eat fruit o f you; let the doom be canceled. And because they
aforetime clothed themselves with fig-leaves, He came at a season when food was not wont to be
found on the fig-tree. Who knows not that in winter-time the fig-tree bears no fruit, but is clothed
with leaves only? Was Jesus ignorant of this, which all knew? No but though He knew, yet He
came as if seeking; not ignorant that He should not find, but showing that the emblematical curse
extended to the leaves only
Why a fig tree specifically?
The nature of the fig tree is such that when it is cut, because of its moisture it requires many
months for it to dry up. Our Lord chose it as a symbol, therefore, to make the quality of His
229 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Lecture 13, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 123.

230 St. Gregory of Nyssa, On the Baptism of Christ, NPNF, s. 2, v. 5, p. 1019.
231 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, First Catechetical Lecture, Lecture 13, NPNF, s.2, v.2, p. 251.
Page 109
power known through it. It is evident that the fig tree becomes moist and tender before the other
trees... You see that He proposes it as a symbol because of its abundant moisture and early buds.
St. Ephram the Syrian232
What is the Spiritual meaning o f the Fig tree?
You are an Axe, because You cut down the worthless fig-tree, after long patience,
because You cut away the roots of wickedness.
Nearly, too, in the same place in the Gospel is that fig tree, which was convicted also by
the third year of its miserable barrenness. But intercession was made for it, that it might be let
alone that year, that year, that if it bore fruit, well; if otherwise, it should be cut clown. For both
three years belong to the same threefold division, and the months of three years make the square
of six, which is six times six.
St. Augustine234
If you abide in the Vine, you grow like a fruitful branch. But if you do not abide in the
Vine you will be consumed by the fire. Let us therefore be worthy to bear fruit. God forbid that
Christ would come now and curse us for our barrenness and do the same to us as what He did to
that barren fig-tree. Rather, we all hope to use that other saying, 4But I am like a fruitful olive-
tree in the house o f God: I have trusted in the mercy o f God forever. ’ Olive trees are not to be
perceived by sense, but by the mind, and full of light. Therefore, as it is His duty to plant
and to water; yours is to bear fruit. God’s job is to grant grace; yours is to receive and
guard it. Do not despise grace because it is freely given, but receive and treasure it
devoutly.
Let us not dry up a fig tree which may yet bear fruit, nor condemn it as useless and
cumbering the ground, when possibly the care and diligence of a skillful gardener may yet heal
it. And do not let us so quickly destroy so great and glorious a work through what is perhaps the
spite and malice of the devil. But let us choose to be merciful rather than severe, and lovers of
the poor rather than of abstract justice. Let us not make more account of those who would
enkindle us to this than of those who would restrain us, considering, if nothing else, the disgrace
of appearing to contend against mendicants who have this great advantage that even if they are in
the wrong they are pitied for their misfortune. But as things are, consider that all the poor and
those who support them, and all the monks and virgins are falling at your feet and praying you
on their behalf. Grant to all these for them this favor (since they have suffered enough as is clear
by what they have asked of us) and above all to me who am their representative. And if it appear
to you monstrous that we should have been dishonored by them, remember that it is far worse
that we should not be listened to by you when we make this request of you. May God forgive the
noble Paulus his outrages upon us.
232 St. Ephram the Syrian, Commentary on Tatian’s Diatesseron 2.47, AACS v. 3, p. 159.
233 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 37, NPNF, s.2, v.7, p. 661.
234 St. Augustine, On the Trinity, Book 4, NPNF, s. 2, v.7, p. 133.
235 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, First Catechetical Lecture, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 123.
236 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Letter to Theodore, Bishop of Tyana, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, pp. 911-912.
Page 110
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church { The Holy Pascha
A fig tree without fruit cumbers the ground, just as the soul of the sinful, though it might
have benefited many, is unprofitable. A fig-tree without fruit cumbers the ground, just as the fool
keeps a place barren under the shade of laziness, which another might have cultivated under the
sun of good works.
But these things are gained by holy men. Would that Jesus would cast a glance upon me
still lying under that barren fig-tree, and that my fig-tree might also after three years bear fruit.
But whence should sinners have so great hope? Would that at least that Gospel dresser of the
vineyard, perhaps already bidden to cut down my fig-tree, would let it alone this year also, until
he dig about it and fertilize it, that he may lift the helpless out of the dust, and lift the poor out of
the mud. Blessed are those who bind their horses under the vine and olive [trees], consecrating
the course of their labors to light and joy. The fig-tree, that is, the tempting attraction of the
pleasures of the world, still overshadows me, low in height, fragile for working, soft for use,
and barren of fruit.
St. Ambrose of Milan238
As long as we are in the hand of God, “no one is able to pluck us out ” [Jn. 10:28], for
that hand is strong; but when we fall away from that hand and that help, then are we lost, then are
we exposed, ready to be snatched away, as a “bowing wall, and a tottering fence” [Ps. 62:3].
When the wall is weak, it will be easy for all to overcome. This doesn’t only apply to Jerusalem
alone, but to all men. And what was spoken of Jerusalem? ‘Now will I sing to my well-beloved a
song o f my beloved touching His vineyard... "(Is. 5:1-7). This is spoken also of every soul. For
when God who loves man has done all that is needful and man then brings forth thorns
instead of grapes, He will take away the fence, and break down the wall, and we shall be for
a prey...See now what scorn is it, yea, what misery, to see him standing over our heads, who has
been given to us to tread down.
“A Sermon on the Fig Tree” by HG Bishop Angaelos
The gospel in the first hour of today is about the fig tree which bears no fruit. The Lord
cursed the tree for it had leaves but bore no fruit. Likewise it is easy to live our lives and give
the appearance of good Christians, but it is much more difficult to actually be good Christians
and bear fruit. We can only bear fruit if God is present in our lives. We can clean the outside of
our cups, but then we are like the Pharisees and the hypocrites which our Lord spoke of, who
occupied themselves with cleaning the exterior but did not take care of the interior. Our Lord
knows all that dwells in our hearts, He wants us to beware at this time not to pay attention to
exterior appearances only, but to make sure that we build up our spiritual lives as well, so that we
may live in the presence of God.
Through this reading, God is saying, wake up and realize that at this time we are living in
the steps of Jesus Christ just before the crucifixion, just before He paid the price of our salvation
with His own blood. We want to stand deservedly, chanting from the depth of our hearts and
237 St. Gregory the Great, The Book of Pastoral Rule, NPNF, s. 2, v. 12, pp. 643-4.
238 St. Ambrose of Milan? Concerning Virgins, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10, p. 846.
239 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 6 on Philippians, NPNF, s. 1, v. 13, pp. 436-7.
Page 111
being living gospels in all we do. The church wants us to be fruitful Christians in our deeds and
words and in preparation for the death of our Lord.
The world around us is technologically advanced and by their own methods, when a
crime is committed, they issue a plea for witnesses to come and explain what they saw and if
they cannot find any, they react the events in order to remind people of the incidents and try to
trigger the memory of anyone who may have seen the crime. Our Church has used the same
principle for many years during Holy Week. It came to the realization of the efficacy if such a
system a long time ago and during Holy week we live the reenactment of the murder of our Lord
Jesus Christ. The Church has set the readings as symbols to the steps which lead to the
crucifixion.
It is not enough to come to church and chant the songs, we must live the sufferings of our
Lord so that we may be able through His mercy, to inherit the kingdom prepared for us ever
since the beginning. Prayer is an important and essential element in our lives generally, but
especially at this time, for it is only through prayer that we can reach our goal, the goal is to
attain our salvation and it is prayer which leads us there.
Many people when they read the story of the fig tree which our Lord cursed, feel that this
was harsh reaction from our Lord, especially since it was not time for figs to grow, but our Lord
is not a harsh God. He is the same Lord who washed the feet of his disciples, who walked from
city to city for the sake of the sick, who suffered and died for us, so that we may live. How
can his loving nature be reconciled with His cursing of the fig tree?
In order to understand our Lord’s actions, we must recognize that He did this as a
warning out of love, like a loving father who warns his children. He does not want to frighten
us, but wants to direct us - those who will live without bearing fruit will not live to see the
kingdom of God which has been prepared for them ever since the beginning. Yes God loves us
all, yes God is a merciful God but He is also a just God who has clearly set out the conditions
which we must fulfill to enter His kingdom. He has paid the price, all we have to do is to love
n Him with all our hearts, minds and spirits and live accordingly. If we love our Lord in this way,
fX u)\j£w e will undoubtedly live according to His will in our lives, for He will dwell within us and
^ A according t0 the guidance He affords us in the Holy Bible, which tells me that I must make use
' of the talents entrusted to me by my Lord, not only to grow leaves, but more importantly to bear
fruit. We have been given a gift which has been bought by the blood of our Lord, if we do
not use this gift we are like a child who is given an expensive present by his father, a present
which the father toiled, worked and suffered to obtain, but the son puts it aside and makes no use
of it.
This present assures that the son will live a happy and fruitful life, but if the son makes
no use of it, it will be worthless for him, the price the father paid for it would have gone to
waste. Let us not be like this son, let us grab the gift entrusted to us by our Lord, the gift of
salvation and let us accordingly love a happy and fruitful life through His guidance. We ask our
Lord to grant us the peace and knowledge, so that we may be enlightened enough to recognize
and value this gift He has given us through His love for us.
Let us journey through holy week with our Lord, let us cleanse the interior and exterior of
our cups. I pray that this may be a blessed time for everyone; that it may be a time for spiritual
growth for all of us as individuals, in our family life and for the Church, the undivided body of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
3 yo'r
Page 112
T hird H our
M a n ' s Pwnishmentand T he V ineyard
Is. 5:20-30; Jer. 9:12-19 Ps. 121:1,2 Mk. 11:11-19
The readings of the third hour elaborate and repeat the message in the first hour regarding
the vineyard. However, this hour seems to stress more upon the punishment of the wicked,
whereas the first focuses more on the love and mercy of the Lord.
The prophesy continues where the reading of Isaiah from the first hour left off in Isaiah
5. It speaks of the last three woes of Israel—pride, drinking, and bribery—as well as the
punishment of the Lord against these woes. The Lord explains how His hand will be stretched
out against them—a symbol of the Cross (5:25).
The psalm anticipates the Entry of our Lord into Jerusalem. Thus, we regularly recite
this psalm when journeying into the Church. Appropriately chosen, this was one of the psalms
of the Great Haleel which was chanted by the Jews on their way up the mountain to enter the
temple.
The gospel here again focuses on the fig tree, although the concluding passage (Mk.
11:20-25) is not included. Since this gospel has already been explained in the first hour of Holy
Monday, and on the Eve of Sunday, we have not included any comments here.
I s a i a h 5 : 2 0 ~ 3 0.
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who
put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!
22Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, 23Who justify
the wicked for a bribe, And take away justice from the righteous man!
24Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, And the flame consumes the chaff, So their root will be as
rottenness, And their blossom will ascend like dust; Because they have rejected the law of the L ord of hosts, And
despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25Therefore the anger of the L o r d is aroused against His people;
He has stretched out His hand against them And stricken them, And the hills trembled. Their carcasses were as
refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.
26He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, And will whistle to them from the end of the earth;
Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly. 27No one will be weary or stumble among them, No one will slumber or
sleep; Nor will the belt on their loins be loosed, Nor the strap of their sandals be broken; 28Whose arrows are sharp,
And all their bows bent; Their horses’ hooves will seem like flint, And their wheels like a whirlwind. 29Their
roaring will be like a lion, They will roar like young lions; Yes, they will roar And lay hold of the prey; They will
carry it away safely, And no one will deliver. 30In that day they will roar against them Like the roaring of the sea.
And if one looks to the land, Behold, darkness and sorrow; And the light is darkened by the clouds.
[Isaiah] is still speaking of the same men. Since they outraged the prophets and treated
the as imposters, as they honor the false prophets, reversing the order of things, he laments the
perversion of their judgment...You have seen the wisdom of the Prophet how he reverses their
way of thinking. They pay no attention to those whose words appear very bitter, but they listen
to the ones who seem to them very lenient and full of sweetness; he tells them therefore: it is the
opposite: with the [real] prophets is an abundance of honey and with the false prophets is an
abundance of bitterness.
240St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Isaiah, JCI pp. 240-245.
Page 113
St. Clement of Alexandria believes that, that woe is a threat to the liars and the proud.
God is the Truth, and the devil is the liar and father of liars. Whoever knows the will of God,
knows the truth and walks in goodness; but whoever disregards the divine will, would exit the
circle of truth, to live in lying; losing through this his ability to recognize the good and the light,
and to comprehend the real knowledge of heaven and divinity.
Whoever is preoccupied with his own self, and refrain from seeking the counsel of others,
carries the mark of idiocy. It was said: “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more
hope for a fool than for him ” (Proverb 26: 12)
J eremiah 9:12-19
Who is the wise man who may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the L or d has spoken,
that he may declare it? Why does the land perish and bum up like a wilderness, so that no one can pass through?
13And the L or d said, “Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice,
nor walked according to it, 14but they have walked according to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baals,
which their fathers taught them,” 1therefore thus says the Lo rd of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will feed
them, this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink. 16I will scatter them also among the
Gentiles, whom neither they nor their fathers have known. And I will send a sword after them until I have
consumed them.”
17Thus says the L ord of hosts: “Consider and call for the mourning women, That they may come; And
send for skillful wailing women, That they may come. 18Let them make haste And take up a wailing for us, That
our eyes may run with tears, And our eyelids gush with water. 19For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How
we are plundered! We are greatly ashamed, Because we have forsaken the land, Because we have been cast
out of our dwellings.’ 64
Whoever rejects the fiery word of God, that bums up the thorns of sin, flares the heart by
the fire of divine love, and makes of him a minister to God by a heavenly fire; In him the fire of
lusts would ignite, to turn him into a desolate wilderness. The prophet Jeremiah does not stand
alone in lamenting this people, for God is also calling the mourning women and the skillful
wailing women to take up a wailing and make the eyes run with tears for them:
The Lord of Hosts says, Consider ” (Jer. 9:17). There is no way to repentance without
‘consideration’; namely, a meditation by the soul for a while to ‘reconsider’ all her past behavior.
Calling the mourning and the skillful wailing women, refer to studying the word of God, the
source of repentance and exalted wisdom.
God wants every one to come and lament Zion and weep for her. As though He is saying,
‘If our eyes have dried up, and our hearts have hardened; let us resort to our spiritual brothers for
support; to learn from them the life of repentance, and to seek their prayers for our sake. ’ If we
can, let us call all creation to support us by praying to God, to help us by the flood of His grace.
As St. John Chrysostom says, “Let us call all creation to share with us in spirit, because
of our sins ... Let us resort to the King above. Let us call Him to help us. If we do not seek help
from heaven, we shall never have comfort, in what we have fallen.”
When we live together with those repenting, we learn how to repent. And when we seek
the lamentation of others for our sake, we ourselves will lament our condition, learn and teach
our brothers and our children, how to wail over sin.
241 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Isaiah, p. 102, quoting St. Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3:12, ANF, v. 2.
242 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 1 on Galatians, NPNF, s. 1, v. 13.
243 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Jeremiah.
Page 114
Psalm 12 h 1- 2
11 was glad when they said to me let us go into the house of the Lord.2 Our feet were standing in your gates, O
Jerusalem.
This Psalm is a “Song of degrees;” as we have often said to you, for these degrees are not
of descent, but of ascent. He therefore longs to ascend. And where does he want to ascend to but
into heaven? What means, into heaven? Does he want to ascend that he may be with the sun,
moon, and stars? Far be it! But there is in heaven the eternal Jerusalem, where are our fellow-
citizens, the Angels: we are wanderers on earth from these our fellow-citizens. We sigh in our
pilgrimage; we shall rejoice in the city. But we find companions in this pilgrimage, who have
already seen this city herself; who summon us to run towards her. At these he also rejoices, who
says, “I rejoiced in them who said unto me, Let us go into the house o f the Lord” ...
“Our feet were standing in the courts o f Jerusalem ” (v. 2) .. .Consider what you wilt be
there; and although you art as yet on the road, place this before your eyes, as if you wert already
standing, as if you wert already rejoicing without ceasing among the Angels; as if that which is
written were realized in you: “Blessed are they that dwell in Your house; they will always be
praising You. ”
“Ourfeet stood in the courts o f Jerusalem. ” What Jerusalem? This earthly Jerusalem also
is wont to be called by the name: though this Jerusalem is but the shadow of that. And what great
thing is it to stand in this Jerusalem, since this Jerusalem has not been able to stand, but has been
turned into a ruin? Does then the Holy Spirit pronounce this, out of the kindled heart of the
loving Psalmist, as a great thing? Is not it that Jerusalem, unto whom the Lord said, “O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kills the Prophets, ” etc. What great thing then did he desire; to
stand among those who slew the Prophets, and stoned them that were sent unto them? God forbid
that he should think of that Jerusalem, who so loves, who so bums, who so' longs to reach that
Jerusalem, “our Mother,” of which the Apostle says, that She is “eternal in the Heavens. ”
St. Augustine244
Mark ll:ll~l9
11 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the
hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.
12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.13 And seeing from afar a fig
tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. And when He came to it, He found
nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you
ever again.” And His disciples heard it.
15 So they came to Jerusalem. And Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and
sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.16And He
would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My
house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ “ 18 And the scribes
and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were
astonished at His teaching. 19 When evening had come, He went out of the city.
Commentary on this gospel can be found in first hour of Holy Monday and on the Eve of ,
Sunday
244 St. Augustine, Commentary on the Psalms, Ps. 122 §§2,3, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8.
Page 115
The fig is still a popular food in Palestine. Notice the small green fruit on this healthy fig
tree. Our Lord used the fig to illustrate His teachings about the last days. Just as the Jews could
observe the sprouting fig leaves and know that summer was approaching, they could observe the
signs He described and know that He was about to return (Matthew 24:32—33).245
245Picture by Gustav Jeeninga, Vos, H. F. 1999, Nelson's New illustrated Bible Maimers and Customs: How the people o f the Bible really lived.
T. Nelson Publishers: Nashville, Tenn.
Page 116
T he Two Edged Sw ord

Ex. 32:7-25; Wisd. 1:1-9; Ps. 121:4 Jn. 2:13-17
The sixth hour anticipates the division between the Good and the Evil. It places those
who willingly accept the Lord in all His glory, and those who have rejected Him as King, as the
Almighty. This is the division of the Cross, foolishness to some; life to the other.
This division between good and evil, this judgment of the Cross is demonstrated by the
readings of this hour. First, the prophesy of this hour contrasts the wrath of God against the
Israelites who sinned against Him, and the promise of the Law which God gave to Moses.
Despite this Law, however, still people acted wickedly. Instead of discipline and wisdom, they
brought about punishment and vengeance, as discussed in the Wisdom of Solomon. The Psalm
also demonstrates the division of the people of Israel, between those who wished to follow and
those who did not.
The gospel repeats the account in the Eleventh Hour of the Eve of Holy Monday, where
the Lord makes a whip of cords and drove out all of the sheep and doves in the temple.
Ex o d u s 3 2 : 7 - 1 5
And the L or d said to Moses, “Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt
have corrupted themselves. 8They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have
made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your God, O Israel, that
brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ “ 9And the L ord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and indeed it is a
stiff-necked people! 10Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may bum hot against them and I may consume
them. And I will make of you a great nation.”
11 Then Moses pleaded with the L o r d his God, and said: “L o r d , why does Your wrath bum hot against
Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12Why
should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to
consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people.
13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, ‘I
will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your
descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ “ 14So the L or d relented from the harm which He said He would do
to His people.
15 And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his
hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written.
Yet still, when we are drawing back after so great favor, He does not abandon us, but
entreats us again. And for our sake, He motivates others to entreat us that He may show us
favor. And so it was with Moses. For to him He says, “Let Me alone, that I may blot them out ”
(Ex. 32:10), that He might drive him upon supplicating on their behalf. And now He does the
same thing. Thus, He gave the gift of prayer. But He does this, not as Himself standing in need
of entreaty, but that we might not, from being saved without effort, grow indifferent.
246 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Paul, 14, NPNF, s. 1, v. 11, p. 801.
Page 117
The Courageous Love o f Moses 247
Moses said this (Ex. 32:10) because he was a holy man, the servant of God, and a very
honest and generous friend. He did not endure even to hearken to this word, but chose rather to
perish with those who had been once allotted to him, than without them to be saved and be in
greater honor. Such should be the one who is responsible for souls.
St. John Chrysostom
Behold the strength and incomparable perfection of love !! The servant talks freely to his
Master, asking Him to pardon his people, or else to let him die together with them.
St. Clement of Rome
How great he is; He would rather die together with his people, than to get saved alone.
If one single man, Moses, gained forgiveness for 600 thousand men of war; and St.
Steven, the Christian martyr prayed for forgiveness of his prosecutors; When those people get to
enter with their lives to Christ, would their strength be less than that?!
St. Jerome
W isdom of So l o m o n 1:l - 9
Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth, think of the Lord with uprightness, and seek Him with sincerity of heart;
2 because He is found by those who do not put Him to the test, and manifests Himself to those who do not distrust
Him. 3 For perverse thoughts separate men from God, and when His power is tested, it convicts the foolish; 4
because wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul, nor dwell in a body enslaved to sin. 5 For a holy and disciplined
spirit will flee from deceit, and will rise and depart from foolish thoughts, and will be ashamed at the approach of
unrighteousness.6 For wisdom is a kindly spirit and will not free a blasphemer from the guilt of his words; because
God is witness of his inmost feelings, and a true observer of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue. 7 Because the
Spirit of the Lord has filled the world, and that which holds all things together knows what is said;8 therefore no one
who utters unrighteous things will escape notice, and justice, when it punishes, will not pass him by. 9 For inquiry
will be made into the counsels of an ungodly man, and a report of his words will come to the Lord, to convict him of
his lawless deeds;
Discipline: here and elsewhere, another name for Wisdom; injustice: the opposite of the
virtue in Wisdom 1:1. As St. Cyprian says, “the discipline of God is to be observed in Church
precepts.”248
P s a l m 12 1: 4
To it the tribes go up, the tribes o f the L o r d , as w as decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the nam e o f the L o r d .
This one verse, taken from one of the nine psalms of ascents, emphasizes the divisions
among the people of Israel between those who accepted Him and those who did not. As St.
Augustine explains:
These groups of people are called tribes. The people of Israel had twelve of these,
according to the sons of Jacob. There were twelve tribes of the people of Israel: but there were
good, and there were bad among them. For how evil were those tribes which crucified our Lord!
247 Excerpts from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Exodus.

248 St. Cyprian, Treatise 12, Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews, ANF, v. 5, p. 1178.
Page 118
f
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church T The Holy Pascha
How good those who recognized the Lord! Those tribes then who crucified the Lord, were tribes
of the devil. When therefore he here said, “For there the tribes go up;” that you may not
understand all the tribes, he added, “even the tribes of the Lord.”... What are the tribes of the
Lord? “A testimony unto Israel.”
“A testimony to I s r a e l means that it is truly Israel... He is such in whom there is no
guile. And what did the Lord say, when He saw Nathaniel? “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom
is no guile. ” If therefore he is a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile, those tribes go up to
Jerusalem, in whom there is no guile... Wherefore do they go up? “To confess unto Your Name,
O Lord. ” It could not be more nobly expressed. As pride presumes, so does humility confess. As
he is a presumer, who wishes to appear what he is not, so is he a confessor, who does not wish
that to be seen which himself is, and loves That which He is. To this therefore do Israelites go
up, in whom is no guile, because they are truly Israelites, because in them is the testimony of
Israel.
St. Augustine249
John h 13-17
13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple he found people selling
cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 Making a whip of cords, he drove all of
them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and
overturned their tables.16He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my
Father’s house a marketplace!” 17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume
me.”
Was this in the beginning o f the mmistry or after?
The cleansing of the temple is mentioned not only in the Gospel of John but also in the
other gospels (Matt. 21:12-17; Mk. 11:15-19; Lk. 19:45-48). Matthew places this event in the
conclusion of His ministry; St. John places it at the end. The events are also distinct in detail that
they are considered two separate events.
They do not in this contradict each other, but show that he did this a second time, and that
both these expressions were not used on the same occasion, but that He acted thus once at the
beginning of His ministry, and again when He had come to the very time of His Passion.
Therefore, (on the latter occasion,) employing more strong expressions, He spoke of it as (being
made) “a den of thieves,” but here at the commencement of His miracles He does not so, but uses
a more gentle rebuke; from which it is probable that this took place a second time.
Three of the Gospels place these incidents, which we supposed to be the same as those
narrated by John, in connection with one visit of the Lord to Jerusalem. While John, on the other
hand, places them in connection with two visits which are widely separated from each other and
between which were various journeys of the Lord to other places. I conceive it to be impossible
for those who admit nothing more than the history in their interpretation to show that these
discrepant statements are in harmony with each other. If any one considers that we have not
given a sound exposition, let him write a reasoned rejoinder to this declaration of ours.
249 St. Augustine, Commentary on the Psalms, NPNF, s. 1, v.8, pp. 1287-8.
250 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, pp. 191-2.
Page 119
This makes it evident that this act was performed by the Lord not on a single occasion,
but twice over; but that only the first instance is put on record by John, and the last by the other
three.
St. Augustine252
Prayer
0 Lord, enter into the temple of my heart. Cleanse what You need. How I have waited
so long? How I have filled my life, my body, my temple with such wickedness and atrocity?
But surely You can remove all the sin and filth from my life? Support me in this
endeavor to cleanse my heart and to do Your will. You, O Lamb of God, who takes away the
sins of the world, take away from my temple any sacrifices that are unpleasing to You.
1 declare You King of my heart, my life, my soul, my being. You are the High Priest of
my temple, the Lord of my soul. I offer my body to You as a living sacrifice.
252 St. Augustine, Harmony of the Gospels, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6, pp. 340-1.
Page 120
T he K no w ledge of G ood a n d evil

G en 2:15-3:24; Is. 40:1-5; Prov. 1:1-9; Ps. 64:4,5; Mt. 21:23-27
In the ninth hour we continue our reading in Genesis, with the story of Adam and Eve,
one of the main themes in the readings of Holy Monday. Here, the serpent deceived the woman
into eating the fruit by telling her, "You will not die; for God knows that when you eat o f it your
eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. ” (Gen. 2:4-5) Thus, man
sought the knowledge of good and evil. This desire is explored in this ninth hour.
The prophesy of Isaiah speaks of the voice of wisdom, which cries out to reveal the glory
of God. This began with the voice of St. John the Baptist. So we see here the comparison
between the voice of the serpent that led to sin and the voice of St. John which led to repentance.
The first ended with the voice of God’s condemnation; the second with God’s glory and
salvation.
In Genesis, the Lord curses man and women by putting enmity between them and their
offspring, by giving the women pain in childbearing, and by forcing man to sweat and toil for his
life. (2:15-17) However, in Isaiah, we hear the Lord speaking words of comfort: “Comfort, O
comfort My people...speak tenderly to Jerusalem...then the glory o f the Lord shall be
revealed.. .for the mouth o f the Lord has spoken. ”
The excerpt from the book of Proverbs explains to us the true meaning of this
knowledge of wisdom. For the entire book is focused on this. It speaks of wisdom, instruction,
insight, wise dealing, justice, equity, etc. Thus the passage appeals to us to follow in the
footsteps of Wisdom instead of Adam.
The psalm selected here matches the theme of the excerpt from Proverbs, for it is a
“wisdom psalm.” It also announces the blessing we shall receive when we stand in the courts of
God, in the Church which He has established.
Next, we read the gospel passage from our Lord when He is speaking with the Pharisees.
As man first fell through deceit and trickery of the serpent; our Lord renewed man with His
infinite wisdom. The high priests, scribes, and Pharisees often challenged our Lord and His
disciples with many questions and theological debates. But our Lord boldly explained the truth,
in all wisdom and truth. This gospel selection is clearly in line with the prophesy from Isaiah, as
explained by St. Cyril of Alexandria.
During this hour we read of one of these moments where the Pharisees ask Him of the
authority that He has to cleanse the temple. They wanted to know who appointed Him a teacher;
or who ordained Him a High Priest? They posed this question in order to catch Him with a
word. If He says it is by His own authority, He would be condemned as a blasphemer; and if He
says it is by an authority of somebody else, people would begin to doubt Him, because they saw
Him performing Divine works! That is why the Lord answered them by a question of His own,
concerning the Baptism of John the Baptist, “Is itfrom heaven or from men?
Finally, the wonderful exposition reminds us again of the plight of Adam and Eve.
Within this exposition, the Church has already prepared for us the message which we should
focus upon during this hour.
Page 121
G enesis 2 : 15~3$2 4: A dam and E'v e

15 The L or d God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. 16 And the L or d God
commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”
18 Then the L ord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his
partner.” 19 So out of the ground the L or d God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and
brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was
its nam e.20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the
man there was not found a helper as his partner.21 So the L ord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and
he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.22 And the rib that the L o r d God had taken
from the man He made into a woman and brought her to the man.
23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called
Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.”
24Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.25And the
man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.
3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the L o r d God had made. He said to the
woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2The woman said to the serpent, “We may
eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;3but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle
of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’”
4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not d ie;5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be
opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for
food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit
and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate .7 Then the eyes of both were opened,
and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
8 They heard the sound of the L o r d God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man
and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the L or d God among the trees of the garden.9But the L or d God
called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” 10He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was
afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 11He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from
the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she
gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” 13Then the L or d God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” 14The L or d God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your
belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 151 will put enmity between you and the
woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”
16To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth
children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
17And to the man he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree
about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall
eat of it all the days of your life;18thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants
of the field .19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you
were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
20 The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living.21 And the L o r d God made garments
of skins for the man and for his wife, and clothed them.
22 Then the L o r d God said, “See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he
might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— 23 therefore the L or d God
sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken.24 He drove out the man; and at
the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree
oflife.
Is a i a h 4ChI-5
Comfort, O comfort My people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has
served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the L o r d ’s hand double for all her sins.3
A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the L o r d , make straight in the desert a highway for our
God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become
level, and the rough places a plain.5 Then the glory of the L o r d shall be revealed, and all people shall see it
together, for the mouth of the L o r d has spoken.
Page 122
Yea and in another point of view, it is not possible either that a bad man should be
altogether bad, but he may have some good things also: nor again that a good man should be
altogether good, but he may also have some sins. When therefore the wicked man prospers
.. .[although] he may have received the reward of a few good things on earth, he may hereafter be
utterly punished over there. That is why he receives his reward in this life.
But happy is he most of all who is punished here, that having put away all his sins, he
may depart approved, and pure, and without having to be called to account. Paul teaches us this
when he says, “For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. ” (1 Cor.
11:30.) And again, “I have delivered such an one to Satan. ” (1 Cor. 5:5.) And the prophet says,
“for she has received o f the Lord’s hand her sins double99(Is. 50:2). David also says, “Behold
my enemies that they are multiplied above the hairs o f my head and [with] an unjust hatred have
they hated me, ” “and forgive all my sins. ” (Ps. 25:19,18.) [These verses prove] that good men
receive the punishments for their sins on earth....
In many places, you will find the word ‘voice’ occurring. Therefore, for the sake of
understanding what the voice of the Lord is, we should gather, as far as we are able from the
divine Scripture what has been said about the voice. For instance, in the divine warning to
Abraham: “And immediately the voice came to him: He shall not be your heir” (Gen. 15:4). And
in Moses, “And all the people saw the voice and the flames. ” (Ex. 20:18). Again in Isaiah: “The
voice o f the one crying in the wilderness... ” (Is. 40:3). With us, then, voice is either air which
has been struck or some form which is in the air against which he who is crying out wishes to
strike. Now, what is the voice of the Lord? Would it be considered the impact of the air? Or
air, which has been struck reaching the hearing of him to whom the voice comes? Or neither of
these but that this is a voice of another kind, namely, an image formed by the mind of men whom
God wishes to hear his own voice, so that they have this representation corresponding to that
which frequently occurs in their dreams? Indeed, just as, although the air is not struck, we keep
some recollection of certain words and sounds occurring in their dreams, not receiving the voice
through our hearing, but through the impression on our heart itself, so also we must believe that
some such voice from God appeared in the prophets.
St. Basil the Great254
Now we know voice and speech to be different things. The voice can be produced
without any meaning and with no speech in it, and similarly speech can be reported to the mind
without voice, as when we make mental excursions, within ourselves. And thus the Savior is, in
one view of Him, speech, and John differs from Him; for as the Savior is speech, John is voice.
John himself invites me to take this view of him, for to those who asked who he was, he
answered, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord! make
His paths straight!” This explains, perhaps, how it was that Zacharias lost his voice at the birth of
the voice which points out the Word of God, and only recovered it when the voice, forerunner of
the Word, was bom. A voice must be perceived with the ears if the mind is afterwards to receive
the speech which the voice indicates. Hence, John is, in point of his birth, a little older than
Christ, for our voice comes to us before our speech. But John also points to Christ; for speech is
brought forward by the voice. And Christ is baptized by John, though John declares himself to
253 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 5.6, On the Epistle to the Hebrews, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14.
254 St. Basil the Great, Homily 13, 3, FC, v. 46, p. 199.
Page 123
have need to be baptized by Christ; for with men speech is purified by voice, though the natural
way is that speech should purify the voice which indicates it. In a word, when John points out
Christ, it is man pointing out God, the Savior incorporeal, the voice pointing out the Word.
Proverbs h U 9
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 For learning about wisdom and instruction, for
understanding words of insight,3 for gaining instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity;4 to teach
shrewdness to the simple, knowledge and prudence to the young—5 let the wise also hear and gain in learning, and
the discerning acquire skill,6to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles.7 The fear
of the L o r d is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8 Hear, my child, your father’s
instruction, and do not reject your mother’s teaching; 9 for they are a fair garland for your head, and pendants for
your neck.
This passage stresses the wisdom of God, for without it we cannot perceive the mysteries
which shall unfold before our eyes, we cannot comprehend the depth of the Word that shall be
declared to us, we cannot experience fully the Passion of our Lord. The Church has such great
concern for us that it reminds us to “stand in the fear of God.” Let us all stand in fear so that we
may acquire the wisdom with which we can comprehend these visible mysteries.
In this chapter, King Solomon states that of all things to be known, the most important
thing is that the Lord, who desires to enter in a covenant with men as His own beloved, is to be
revered. Those know little who do not know this. All true knowledge arises from reverence of
the Lord and tends to it as its perfection and center. Violence is pointed out as the trespass of
those obligations which the will of God has laid upon us. But wisdom cries aloud that her voice
may be heard, proclaiming the judgments of those who despise her ways256.It is Christ who
pleads with sinners and passes sentence on them. He calls Himself Wisdom. He is the center of
all divine revelation, the eternal Word by whom the Heavenly Father speaks to men.
Wisdom andlnstruction
Wisdom is the science of things both human and divine, and of their causes, he, therefore,
who is an effective theologian knows wisdom.
St. Basil the G reat58
He who knows the wisdom of God, receives from Him also instruction, and learns by it
the mysteries of the Word; and they who know the true heavenly wisdom will easily understand
the words of these mysteries. Wherefore he says: “To understand the difficulties o f words;” for
things spoken in strange language by the Holy Spirit become intelligible to those who have their
hearts right with God.
St. Hippolytus259
255 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Gospel of St. John, ANF, v. 10, p. 587.
256 Darby’ Synopsis on the Bible, Proverbs.
257 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Proverbs, Ch. 1.
258 St. Basil the Great Homily 12 On Proverbs, NPNF, s. 2, v.8.
259 St. Hippolytus, Commentary on Proverbs, ANF, v. 5.
Page 124
But if the law produces fear, the knowledge of the law is the beginning of wisdom; and a
man is not wise without law. Therefore those who reject the law are unwise; and in consequence
they are reckoned godless.
“The fear o f the Lord is the beginning o f wisdom. ” [Prov. 1:7] So, if to fear God is to
have wisdom, and the wicked man does not have that fear, then he is truly deprived of
wisdom. And if he is deprived wisdom, then he is more foolish than any. And yet many
admire the wicked as being able to do injustice and harm, not knowing that they should to deem
them wretched above all men, who thinking to injure others thrust the sword against themselves;
— an act of extremist folly, that a man should strike himself and not even know that he does so,
but should think that he is injuring another while he is killing himself.
Now, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;” the sense of sin leads to
repentance, and God bestows His compassion upon those who are penitent.
St. Irenaeus262
Psalm 6 4*5,4
5 Listen to us, O God our Savior; You are the hope of all the ends of the earth. 4 Blessed is he whom You have
chosen and adopted; he will dwell in Your courts.
M atthew 2 l * 2 3 - 2 ? 263
Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He
was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?” 24But
Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by
what authority I do these things: 25The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they
reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe
him?’ 26But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” 27So they answered Jesus
and said- “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Why does the Lord answer a question with a question ?

Our Lord’s method of answering this question was quite appropriate, since it was a
common rabbinic method to answer a question with a question.264
Observe the great malice of the Pharisees: they flee from truth. They refuse light. They
feel no horror at committing sin. For God the Father sent the blessed Baptist as the forerunner of
Christ, crying out and saying, ‘Prepare the way o f the Lord; and make straight the pathways of
our God. '
The Lord shows us here that we should not answer those who ask a question with
malicious intent. For He Himself did not reply to those Jews who questioned Him with cunning,
260 St. Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, Book 2, Ch. 8, ANF, v. 2.

261 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on John 41, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 245.
263 See also Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8.
264 Thomas Nelson Study Bible, p. 1613.
265 St. Cyril, Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, p. 527.
Page 125
although He was not at a loss for an answer. At the same time we learn that it is not Christ’s
nature to extol Himself. Behold then, the Lord who is able to say by what authority He does
these things, but does not say, lest He appear to extol Himself.
They closed the door to themselves, through pretense of ignorance of what they know, that
is why He did not open it for them, as they did not knock, according to what is said, “Knock, and
it will be opened to you ” (Mt. 7:7) They did not only refrain to knock, but they also denied what
they know; so tightly closing the door before their own face.
St. Augustine267
St. Cyril the Great believes that the Lord Christ presented them with a question concerning
John the Baptist, as the Jews used to accuse the true prophets of being false ones ... The
Pharisees became confused, and were afraid to accuse John of being false; so they refrained from
answering the Lord’s question, proclaiming that they were not seeking the truth, and were not
worthy of recognizing it; Thus the Lord refused to answer their question.268
Ex po sit io n
With Your impeccable hands, O Lord, You created me and made me shine like crimson. You bestowed on
me the comforts of paradise and the fruits of the trees. You awarded me the hegemony of Your dominion over all
creation under heaven and made all things below the animals and beasts. You did not deprive me of respect and
subordinated everything to me. You have me one commandment and I disobeyed you, O my Lord and my God. /
ask You, O Good One, to have mercy upon me according to Your great mercy.
When I saw that you were alone, O Adam, when everything else was paired, I created from your bones
someone modeled after you who looks like you and found it inappropriate to have you alone by yourself. I was
concerned about you and gave you authority over her and put all creation under your dominion. You obeyed her and
disregarded My instruction. You rejected My words and My commandments.
I ask You, O Good One to have mercy upon me according to Your great mercy. Remember me, O Lord.
From dust I am and like the herbs of the field You gave me the skill of Your power and diminished my humility.
One tree I commanded you not to touch. Why did you disobey My commandment? You implicated the
woman whom I did not command as I did with you. you obeyed her, rejected My words, and then hid among the
trees so that I would not see you.
I ask You, O Good One to have mercy upon me according to Your great mercy.
You desired divinity and wanted to be a creator like your Lord. From the fruits of the tree you
distinguished between the good and the evil to become a god. Adam, where is the glory that was bestowed on you?
You lost the clothes I dressed you with. With leaves of trees you covered your own nakedness. I created you and
knew you before you were.
From the beginning I formed you and instructed you with My commandments. Of all the trees in
Paradise I told you about this particular tree. Its fruits bear the bitterness of death and that if you ate from it, death
you suffer. I did not keep you ignorant about it but I informed you before this happens. You lent the woman your
ear and obeyed her. Therefore, I shall bring the punishment upon you.
0 Adam, from dust you are and to dust you shall return to chasten you for your transgressions. And you,
Eve, why did you do this and disobey My commandments? It was not that an angel or a bird talked to you about it
but a serpent, a beast by its nature and you listened to his advice. Many shall be your sorrows and great will be your
weeping. I will put animosity between you and the serpent; between your descendants and hers. He will watch their
heels, and your descendant will crush his head.
1 ask You, O Good One to have mercy upon me according to Your great mercy.
266 Theophylact, Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, p. 181:

267 St. Augustine, Commentary on John, Tractate 2, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.
268 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Matthew.
Page 126
The Savior then summoned the serpent and cursed her and her nature saying, "Cursed are you among all
animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days o f your life ”
because of the distrust you caused. The enemy dwelt in you and you became a shelter for evil. Because man
listened to you, cursed shall be the whole earth with him.
As for the man who is Adam, the first to dwell in Paradise, He told him, “Because you have listened to the
voice of your wife, I have cursed the ground because of your deeds. You shall live heart-saddened and the earth will
grow for you thorns and thistles.” Then He told Eve, “In pain and agony you shall bring forth children, and you
shall return to your husband and he will rule over you and you shall have no rest in your life.”
Then God said, “See, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. I shall not leave him in
paradise lest he should reach of the tree of life and eat it.” Then, He expelled Adam and his wife from the paradise
and assigned a cherub carrying a sword of fire to guard its gate.
“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? I f I ascend into heaven, You
are there; I f I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. ” [Ps. 139:7-8]
And Adam went to a lower place across from the gate of paradise to till the land and eat of its fruits where
he was in the grasp of the Deceiver. And Adam and Eve were condemned to the servitude of slavery—because he
followed his desire—he and all his sons until the fullness of time.
The exposition of this hour is perhaps one of the most beautiful in all of Pascha week.
What theological depth and beautiful prayer for us to repeat together. This is based on the story
of Adam and Eve, but reveals to us the depth of this amazing hour. It is a conversation between
Adam and his Maker, between all humanity and the Lover of mankind; between our souls and
the Father. Throughout we hear the cry of humanity appealing to the Lord for forgiveness and
mercy. The cry at the very end, from the Psalmist, is a link for us from Adam to Christ—for this
is the call of the Lord descending into Hades, before His Resurrection from the dead and His
Ascension into the heavens.
E leventh H our .
Sold In to Slavery , Sa n c t ify the T emple
Is. 50:1-3; Sir. 1:25-30 Ps. 12:3,4 Jn. 8:51-59
In the previous hours, the Lord cleanses the temple of hypocrisy, sin and dishonesty.
Now, the Lord declares to us His glorious divinity, “I AM.”
In this hour Isaiah first explains how man was sold into slavery because of our sins. The
Lord threatens His disloyal bride with the bill of divorce.
Another warning of hypocrisy is taken here from the Wisdom of Sirach. Here, Sirach
tells us to continue in the fear of the Lord, in all wisdom and instruction. “Do not disobey the
fear o f the Lord...do not be a hypocrite...Do not exalt yourself lest you fall, and thus bring
dishonor upon yourself. ” (Sirach 1:28-29)
The Homily of St. Shenouda is included here to connect Adam and Eve’s sin with
hypocrisy. He speaks of living a life of holiness in a sinful world. It speaks of judgment of
others with the same standard as ours. This sin of judging is one most important for us to focus
on during this Holy Week. For its source is pride, the source of all sin, according to some
fathers. So through humility we begin our path to Paradise.
In the psalms, the psalmist asks the Lord to “hear him” and to save him. This is the same
cry we heard in the exposition of the Ninth Hour. We ask, as the psalmist did, for the Lord to
save us from death—not the first death which every man will enter into, but from eternal death
and ask for salvation.
In the last gospel of the day, we read of the continuing accusations of the Jews. Here the
Lord declares them that they know neither Him nor the Father. This carries from the carries the
same theme of the day, concerning the fig tree. As St. Cyril of Alexandria explains, the Jews in
their lack of faith and understanding of Christ as the Son of God bore bad fruits from a bad tree.
Isaiah 50$l~3
Thus says the L o r d : “Where is the certificate of your mother’s divorce, Whom I have put away? Or which
of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? For your iniquities you have sold yourselves, And for your
transgressions your mother has been put away. 2Why, when I came, was there no man? Why, when I called, was
there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Indeed with
My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink because there is no water, And die of
thirst. 3I clothe the heavens with blackness, And I make sackcloth their covering.”
He says Himself also in the Gospels, "How often would I have gathered your children —
and you would not. ” [Lk. 13:34]. Isaiah also again, “I came, and there was no man; I called,
and there was none to hearken. ” [Is. 50:2]. These things He said, showing that we begin the
desertion, and become the causes of our perdition; for God not only desires not to leave or to
punish us, but even when He punishes, does it unwillingly. “I will not,” He says, “the death o f a
sinner, so much as that he should turn and live. ” [Ez. 18:32]. Christ also mourns over the
destruction of Jerusalem, as we also do over our friends.”
She (the Jewish nation), as a bride, rebelled against her man, more than he did against
her. He, who sent her away, rejected and rebuked her because of alienating herself from him
269St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on John, NPNF, s.l, v. 14, 568-9.

270 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, Book 14, Ch. 17, ANF, v. 10.
Page 128
W isdom of the S on of S irach 1:20-30

21 To fear the Lord is the root of wisdom, and her branches are long life.271 22Unrighteous anger cannot be justified,
for a man’s anger tips the scale to his ruin. 23 A patient man will endure until the right moment, and then joy will
burst forth for him. 24 He will hide his words until the right moment, and the lips of many will tell of his good sense.
25 In the treasuries of wisdom are wise sayings, but godliness is an abomination to a sinner.26 If you desire wisdom,
keep the commandments, and the Lord will supply it for you. 27 For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and
instruction, and He delights in fidelity and meekness.28 Do not disobey the fear of the Lord; do not approach
him with a divided mind. 29 Be not a hypocrite in men’s sight, and keep watch over your lips. 30 Do not exalt
yourself lest you fall, and thus bring dishonor upon yourself. The Lord will reveal your secrets and cast you
down in the midst of the congregation, because you did not come in the fear of the Lord, and your heart was full of
deceit.
H omily of S t, S h e n o u d a the A r c h im a n d r ite

Occasionally there are some deeds which we may think they are good, but in God’s eyes they are bad. For
example, the unqualified tolerance of sinners in holy places may lead them to be indifferent to sin. For
example, the Lord did not plant good trees and bad trees in Paradise, but only good trees. He did not plant fruitless
trees nor trees with bad fruits. Even when man, himself, disobeyed the commandment, He was not indifferent about
man’s inequity but expelled him from Paradise. From this, we can see, dearly beloved, that the houses of the Lord
should not be filled with bad and good people—as is the case in the world where the saints and sinners, the unjust
and the impure mingle together. It is incumbent on us to remind those who come to the house of the Lord to behave
appropriately. I know that the whole earth is God’s, but if we make His house just like the rest of the earth, what
will distinguish the house of the Lord from the rest? If I as a servant of God commit the same bad deeds as the
wicked, then I do not deserve to be called a servant of God. For we often sin and are unable to judge ourselves with
the same standard we judge others. You see no one can fill your place with dirt unless they notice your lack of
interest in it. Just like the king’s servants; they cannot let everyone in the king’s house—whether they honor the
king’s decree or whether they ignore them—without the king’s permission. If they deviate from this rule they
receive punishment.
P salm 12:3,4
3Consider and answer me, O L o r d my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep unto death, 4and my
enemy will say, “I have prevailed against him.”
The eyes of the heart must be understood, that they be not closed by the pleasurable
eclipse of sin.
St. Augustine272
John 8:5 U 5 9
Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” 52Then the Jews said to
Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps
My word he shall never taste death.’ 53Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are
dead. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?” 54Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My
Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him.
And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. 56Your father
Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty
years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I
AM.” 59Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through
the midst of them, and so passed by.
271 Other ancient authorities add verse 21, “The fear o f the Lord drives away sins; and where it abides, it will turn
away all anger. ” However, this is not included in the Coptic or in the Greek.
272 St. Augustine, NPNF, s.l, v. 8, pp. 110-1.
Page 129
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church % The Holy Pascha
Here He does not speak of faith only, but of a pure life. Above He said, “shall have
everlasting life, ” but here, “shall not see death. ” (6:40) At the same time He hints to them that
they could do nothing against Him, for if the man that should keep His saying should not die,
much less should He Himself. At least they understood it so, and said to Him, “Now we know
that you have a devil; Abraham is dead, and the Prophets are dead. ”
He refutes them again here, not only practicing the goodness of simple words, but
exceeding far removed from truly knowing God. And all but utters against them that which was
declared through the prophet, “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me
with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. ” (Is. 29:13) And now He says, in accord with
that old saying, “You have not known Him.99And this is true, for to know that He is God is to
have knowledge of God. For as it is written, even the devils believe that God exists and
tremble. (James 2:19).
But in addition to knowing that He is God, it is proper to have right and proper thoughts
of Him. However, I guess that no sober-minded person would inquire what God really is by
Nature; for it is impossible to find out. But one may recognize what things are or are not His
Attributes, if one is conversant with the sacred scriptures.
For we know and have believed that He is Mighty; we know that He is not weak. We
know that He is Good; we know that He is not bad. We know that he is Righteous, and again
that He is not unjust. We know that he is Eternal; we are agreed and believe that He is not
bounded by time, nor transitory, as we are.
The Jews, therefore, as far as in words and voice, did say and clearly confess that God is
their God, being none the less ignorant of Him, but as far as that he is Incorruptible and Eternal,
we shall not find that they understood. For if they knew, they would not have sunk to that degree
of distraction as to think that the Only-Begotten Son which comes forth of His Essence would
die. Nor would they have put forward the death of Abraham and the Prophets and senselessly
say, “Whom do You make Yourself?” ...Then it is proper to say here also to the Jews, “Either
make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is
known by its fruit. ” (Mt. 12:33) How then is it possible to think that the One who was begotten
of an Immortal Father is mortal; and to consider Him who does not know corruption the same as
those who are subject to decay?
The Samaritan woman did not say to Him, “You have a devil”; but only, “Are you
greater than our father Jacob?” (John 4:12). For these men were insolent and accursed, while
she desired to learn. She doubted and answered with proper moderation, and called Him,
“Lord.” For one who promised far greater things, and who was worthy of credit, should not to
have been insulted, but even admired; yet these men said that He had a devil. Those expressions
of the Samaritan woman were those of one in doubt; these were the words of men unbelieving
and perverse. “Are you greater than our father Abraham?;” but her words make Him to be
greater than Abraham.
273 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary of St. John, NPNF, s.l, v. 14, 450.
274 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John.
275 St. John Chrysostom, “Commentary of St. John,” NPNF, s.l, v. 14,451.
Page 130
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church
C h a p te r 7
Ev e of H o l t Tu e s d a y
“T h e J u d g e o f t h e W o r l d
Page 131
“A ship is guided to the port by means o f the helm; but the Word o f God pilots the soul o f a man,
and leads him without risk o f error to everything that is necessary for salvation. ”
After we have understood the message of the fig tree, the Church presents the next main
theme for us as the Second Coming and the judgment of the world.
Although this message was presented to us on the eve of Holy Monday, this day’s
readings are focused on a different aspect of the end of days. On Holy Monday, the readings
warn us from the sin of hypocrisy and doubt so that we do not give only an impression of
righteousness. However, the Holy Tuesday readings focus on the inner preparation necessary for
the Church to meet its True Bridegroom. Thus, we must light our inner lamps with vigil, prayer,
and repentance. However, many of the evening prayers have the same theme of preparation, as
this is the custom of the Church to remind us of death and judgment day before we sleep.
In this evening prayer, each hour has only one prophesy (usually from the minor
prophets), which speak of the great love the Lord has for us, despite our wicked and sinful
nature. The gospel readings carry the same message; and all are from the gospel of St. Luke
(except for the 11th hour).
The first hour of the eve of Tuesday speaks of our need to repent, to shed the tears at the
feet of our Savior. The Lord uses the figure of the narrow gate when discussing the last days.
(Luke 13:23-30). This repentance is our first step in meeting our Bridegroom, for it is our
declaration of love. He asks us to return to Him though repentance.
In the third hour, our Lord declares His love for us. We continue reading in the gospel
of Luke, from where we left off in the first hour. Here, the Lord asks to come to Him with
reverence and love for Him. He tells us how much He wants to gather us under His arms. He
also prophesies about His death outside Jerusalem.
Next in the sixth hour, we discover ourselves guilty of playing the harlot, with the spirit
of harlotry in our midst. We are warned to avoid “carousing, drunkenness, and the cares o f this
life” (Lk. 21:34).
In the ninth hour, despite our harlotry, the Lord declares His love for His child, Israel
and how He drew them with “bands of love” (Hosea 11:1, 4). O who is worthy of this love?!
Thus we read from the book of Hosea, the prophet who was commanded to marry a prostitute,
and then chase despite her unfaithfulness to him.
Finally, the eleventh hour speaks to us to keep watch, pray and wait for the coming of the
Master. The psalm here is the same as in the 6th hour of Monday, for we are again preparing to
meet the Bridegroom again in the second evening.
The theme of this evening’s readings are summarized in the following chart:
g th
HOUR 1st 3rd 6th n m
Them e Return to Him Embrace Him Obey Him A ccept Him Wait fo r Him
Repent Realize H is The Instructor A void Keep watch
Love Hypocrisy
Prophesies Zech. 1:1-6 Mai. 1:1-8 Hos. 4:15-5:7 Hos. 10:12- Amos 5:6-14
11:2
Psalm 61:7,6 12:3,5 90:2,3 32:10,11 121:4
Gospel Luke 13:23-30 Lk. 13:31-35 Lk. 21:34-38 Lk. 37-52 Mk. 13:32-
14:2
276 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary of the Gospel of St. Luke, Homily 99, p. 396.
Page 132
R epen ta n ce a n d the N a r r o w G ate
Zechariah 1:1-6 Psalm 61:7,6 Luke 13:23-30

This hour begins to prepare us to meet the Heavenly Bridegroom through our sincere
repentance. The prophesy taken from Zechariah speaks of God’s plea to us to repent: ‘“Return
to Me... and I will return to you, ’ says the Lord o f hosts...'Turn now from your evil ways and
your evil deeds. (Zech. 1:3-4).
Not only will He accept us, but He is our rock, salvation, fortress, honor, and refuge, as
mentioned in the psalm of the hour. The gospel teaches us that once we are willing to accept
this call of repentance, we must begin our struggle and travel along this narrow gate which leads
to the heavenly Kingdom, in which our Bridegroom awaits. Just as the Church reminds us of the
knocking on the door of the wise and foolish virgins; those who entered the gate were only the
holy, righteous and wise virgins.
Z e c h a r i a h is 1 - 6
In the eighth month of the second year o f Darius, the word of the L or d came to Zechariah the son of
Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 2”The L o r d has been very angry with your fathers. 3Therefore
say to them, ‘Thus says the L o r d of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the L o r d of hosts, “and I will return to
you,” says the L o r d of hosts. 4Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, ‘Thus
says the L or d of hosts: “Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.” ‘ But they did not hear nor heed Me,”
says the L o r d . 5”Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6Yet surely My words and
My statutes, Which I commanded My servants the prophets, Did they not overtake your fathers?
“So they returned and said: ‘Just as the L ord of hosts determined to do to us, According to our ways and
according to our deeds, So He has dealt with us.’ “ ‘ “
[The Psalmist] says, “Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your Name, O
L o r d . ” (Ps
82:17) Did he hate those whose faces he desired to be filled with shame? See how he
loves them whom he would have seek the Name of the Lord. Does he love only, hate only, or
does he both hate and love? Yes, he both hates and loves. He hates what is yours, but he loves
you. What does this mean? He hates what you have done; he loves what God has made. For what
are your own things but sins? And what are you but what God made you, a man after His Own
image and likeness? Do you forget that you were made, and love what you have made? You
love your own works without you, neglect the work of God within you. You deserve to go away,
to fall off. Yes, you deserve to depart even from your own self. You deserve to hear the words,
“A spirit that goes and does not return. ”
But you will rather hear Him who calls and says, “Return to Me, and I will return to
you. ” (Zech 1:3) For God does not really turn away, and turn again. He is the same He rebukes,
Unchangeable He rebukes. He has turned away, in that you have turned yourself away. You have
fallen from Him, He has not fallen away from you. Hear Him then saying to you, “Return to Me,
and I will return to you. ” (Zech 1:3) For this means, “I will return to you, so that you may return
to Me.” He follows behind him that escapes; He enlightens the face of him that returns. For can
you succeed in escaping from God? Can you will succeed to escape from Him who is contained
in no place, and is present everywhere? He who delivers him that turns to him, punishes him that
turns away. You have a Judge by escaping; have a Father by returning.
Saint Augustine277
Page 133
P s a lm 6 1:7,6
7In God is my salvation and my glory; He is the God of my help and my hope is in God. For He is my God and my
Savior; my helper, I shall not be moved.
“He alone is my God and My Savior, my fortress, I will not be moved. ” (v. 6). Because
“He alone is my God, ” therefore He calls me: “and my Salvation, " therefore He justifies me:
“and my fortress” therefore He glorifies me. For here I am called and am justified, but there I am
glorified; and from thence where I am glorified, “I will not be moved. ” For a sojourner I am with
You on earth as all my fathers were. Therefore from my lodging I shall remove, from my
Heavenly home I shall not remove.
In God is my salvation and my glory' (v. 7). I shall be saved in God; I shall be glorious
in God. Not only saved, but also glorious, because I have been made a just man out of an
ungodly man, justified by him. but glorious, because not only justified, but also honored....
“For God is my salvation and my glory. ” “My salvation, ” so that I am saved: “my glory, ” so
that I am honored. So what comes next? “God o f my help, and my hope is in God; ” until I attain
unto perfect justification and salvation. “For by hope we are saved: but hope which is seen, is
not hope. ” [Heb. 11:1]
St. Augustine278
L u k e 1 3 : 2 3~3. Q
And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to
Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, 24,,Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for
many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25When once the Master of the house has risen up
and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,9
and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26then you will begin to say, ‘We
ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you,
where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity. ’ 28There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,
when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.
29They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.
30And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
Why doesn’t the Lord answer the question about the narrow gate directly?
It was the custom of our common Savior Christ to meet His questioners, not of course
according to what might seem good to them, but as having regard to what was useful and
necessary for His hearers. And this He especially did when anyone wanted to learn what was
superfluous and unedifying. For what good was it to wish to learn whether many or few will be
saved? What benefit does it have for the listeners? On the contrary, it was a necessary and
valuable thing to know in what way a man may attain salvation. He was purposely silent,
therefore, with respect to the useless question which had been asked Him, but proceeds to speak
of what was essential, namely the knowledge necessary for the performance of those duties
which men can enter in at the straight and narrow door...
St. Augustine, NPNF, si., v. 8, 561-2.

279 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary of the Gospel of St. Luke, CLC, Homily 99, p. 396-7.
Page 134
Why is the door narrow and why is the path so broad?
Whoever enters must have, among everything, an upright and uncorrupted faith. Second,
he must have a spotless morality, in which there is no possibility of blame, according to the
measure of human righteousness.. .Nevertheless those who which to live in a holy manner cannot
do so without labor. For constantly, so to speak, the pathway that leads to virtue is rugged and
steep, and is difficult for most men to walk on. For labors spring before us and we need strength,
patience and good conduct...[The broad path] means an unrestrained tendency to carnal lust; a
base and pleasure loving life; luxurious feasts, parties and banquets; and unrestrained
inclinations to everything which is condemned by the law and displeasing to God...Those who
enter by the narrow gate must withdraw from all these things in order to be with Christ and feast
with Him.
Who are the people who ate and drank in His presence and how could they eat before God but
not be saved?
This assertion fits the Israelites, whom Christ also said, “You shall see Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom o f God and you yourselves cast out. But how
then were they eating and drinking before God? I answer. By performing the service enacted in
the law; for when offering unto God sacrifices by the shedding of blood, they ate and made
merry. And they also heard in their synagogues the writings of Moses, interpreting God’s
messages; for constantly he prefaced his words with, “Thus says the Lord. ” These then are those
who ate and drank in his presence. But the worship by the shedding of blood is not sufficient for
justification, nor does a man wash away his stains by simply hearing the divine laws, if he does
not do what he was commanded...
Many have believed in Christ, and celebrated the holy feasts in His honor, visited
churches frequently to hear the doctrines of the Gospel, but do not lay up in their mind the truths
of scripture. With enormous difficulty, they practice virtue. These shall also weep bitterly and
gnash their teeth; for the Lord shall also deny them.
The words ‘we ate and drank' means those of Israel...but we Christians even eat the
divine Body and Blood of Christ...and does not the Lord teach us...unless we keep God’s law,
the fact that we heard it is grounds rather for greater punishment for us.
Prayer
How narrow is this door? I thought it was larger than it truly is! This is not what I
imagined, though I heard “I f the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will I the sinner
appear? ” How can I prepare myself for the feast? How can I reach Him before He shuts the
door? Run quickly before the door is shut. What is the door but the Cross, which I must enter.
Come, follow the way to the Cross.
280 Ibid, p. 397.

281 Ibid, p. 398.
282 Blessed Theophylact, Commentary on St. Luke, PG 123:389, CD-390A.
"E mbrace H im "
Malachi 1:1-8 Psalm 12:3,5 - Luke 13:31-35
Gradually, the readings become more specific for us. In the prophesy of this hour, God
lovingly criticizes us: “ “/ have loved you says the Lord. .. .If then I am the Father, where is My
reverence?” God reprimands us gently saying, “And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not
evil? ” I want the sweet and real fruits of you and not the bad ones.. .The blind, the lame and the
sick who are the result of your hypocrisy do not please Me and do not mislead Me. Hypocrisy
might get you praise from people but blessed are those whom God praises. It is the desire of
God’s heart to gather the fruits of His children since He is hungry.. .Who will offer these fruits to
Him? Who loves Him and guards himself against the leaven of the Pharisees, which is the blind,
the lame and the sick frits that do not satisfy our Lord?
The gospel of this hour shows this meaning clearly, “How often I wanted to gather your
children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! ” (Luke
13:34). God is eager to embrace us and gather our fruits. We do not want to give Him anything
but our resentment, pride and ingratitude.
M a l a c h i 1j 1 ~9
The burden of the word of the L ord to Israel by Malachi. 2,,I have loved you,” says the Lord. “Yet you
say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’ Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” Says the L o r d . “Yet Jacob I have loved;
3But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage For the jackals of the wilderness.”
4Even though Edom has said, “We have been impoverished, But we will return and build the desolate
places,” Thus says the L o r d of hosts: “They may build, but I will throw down; They shall be called the Territory of
Wickedness, And the people against whom the L or d will have indignation forever. 5Your eyes shall see, And you
shall say, ‘The L ord is magnified beyond the border of Israel. ’
6”A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I
am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the L or d of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say,
‘In what way have we despised Your name?’ 1”You offer defiled food on My altar. But say, ‘In what way have
we defiled You?’ By saying, ‘The table of the L or d is contemptible.’ 8And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice,
Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be
pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?” Says the L or d of hosts.
9”But now entreat God’s favor, That He may be gracious to us. While this is being done by your hands,
Will He accept you favorably?” Says the L or d of hosts.
Again, Esau despised his brother, and he too despised God. Wherefore God said, “Jacob
have I loved, but Esau have I hated. ” (Rom. 9:13; Mai. 1:2, 3.). Hence Paul says, 4Lest there be
any fornicator or profane person as Esau. ’ (Heb. 12:16).
The brothers of Joseph despised him, and also despised God. The Israelites despised
Moses, and also despised God. The sons of Eli despised the people, and they also despised God.
Can you see the opposite as well? Abraham, who was tender of his brother’s son, was obedient
to God, as is manifest in his conduct with respect to his son Isaac, and in all his other virtues.
Again, Abel was meek to his brother, and he also was pious towards God.
Therefore, let us not despise one another, lest we learn also to despise God. Let us
honor one another, that we may learn also to honor God. He that disrespects men, will also
be disrespectful to God....
283 St. John Chrysostom, NPNF, s.l, v. 13, pp. 1037-8.
Page 136
The beginning of wisdom consists in fear, but the love of Christ will be its perfection,
which contains in itself the fear of perfect love and which is no longer called the beginning but
rather the treasure of wisdom and knowledge?
Therefore there are two degrees of fear. One is for beginners—that is, for those who are
still under the servile dread. In regard to this it is said, “The slave shall fear his master, ” and in
the gospel, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is
doing.” [John 15:15] And consequently he says, “The slave does not remain in the house
forever. ” [Jn. 8:35] For He is instructing us to pass from the fear of punishment to the fullest
freedom of love and to the confidence of the fiends and sons of God.
The blessed apostle, who had long since passed beyond the degree of the fear of a
servant, thanks to the power of the Lord’s love, disdains lower things and professes that he has
been endowed with greater goods. He says, “For God has not given us a spirit o f fear, but of
power and love and self-control.” [2 Tim 1:7] Those who burned with perfect love of he
heavenly Father and whom, from salves, the divine adoption had already made sons, he also
exhorts in these words, “For you did not receive the spirit o f bondage again to fear, but you
received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father. ” [Rom. 8:15]
St. John Cassian284
P salm 13:3*5
3 Look to me and hear me, O L ord my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, 5But I
have trusted in Your mercy; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation.
“Look to me, " refers to what was said, “How long” will “You turn away Your face from
me.” “Hear me, ” refers to, “How long will You forget me to the endT “Enlighten my eyes, that
I sleep not in death. ” The eyes of the heart must be understood, that they be not closed by the
pleasurable eclipse of sin...(v. 6). That is, I give thanks with joy, and in most due order employ
my body, which is the song of the spiritual soul. But if any distinction is to be marked here, “I
will sing” with the heart, “I will chant” with my works; “to the Lord,” that which He alone sees,
but “to the name o f the Lord, ” that which is known among men, which is serviceable not for
Him, but for us.
St. Augustine285
L uke 13:3 1-3 5
On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to
kill You.” 32And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and
tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ ^Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day
following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.
34”0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often
I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not
willing! 35 See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time
comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name o f the Lord !
--------------- /
284 St. John Cassian, Conference 2.13.4-6, AACS OT 14; p. 286.
285 St. Augustine, “Commentary on the Psalms,” NPNF, s.l, v. 8, pp. 110-1.
Page 137
Why did those Jews who accused Him, insulted Him, and examined Him warn Him to escape
from Herod?
Our Lord was occupied in teaching the Jewish multitudes, when someone asked Him
whether many will be saved. He passed by the question, however, as unprofitable, and turned to
that which was fitting for Him to tell—namely, the way by which men must walk to become
heirs of the kingdom of heaven. For He said, “Strive to enter by the narrow gate...” [He also
added that the first will be last, referring to the heathens. He told them that of their weeping,
gnashing of teeth and that they would be thrown out of the Kingdom.]
These remarks aggravated the Pharisees unto anger. They saw the multitudes repenting
and eagerly receiving faith in Him. The Pharisees observed that the Jews only lacked little more
instruction to learn His glory and the great and adorable mystery of the incarnation. Therefore,
the Pharisees perceived that they would lose their authority over them, since they held high
positions as chiefs. They also feared that they would be deprived of their profits—for they were
fond of wealth covetous, and given to riches.
Thus, they pretended to love Him and even drew near and said, Depart and go from here,
for Herod desires to kill You. But O stony-hearted Pharisee, if you were wise you would have
been well acquainted with the law of Moses, if you fixed your mind upon the declarations of the
holy prophets; it would not have escaped you that there was no possibility of presenting such a
false show of affection and remaining undetected, while your mind was full of wrath. He was not
mere man, and one of those like us, and so liable to deception—but God in our likeness. God
who understands everything, who “knows secrets o f the heart” (Ps. 44:21), God who “tests the
hearts and minds. ” (Ps. 7:9); God to whom “all things are naked and open” and from Whom
“nothing is hidden ” (Heb. 4:13). But you do not know this precious and mighty mystery. You
thought that you could deceive even Him Who says, “Who is this that hides his mind from Me
and shuts up words in his heart, and thinks that he hides them from Me? ”
Why did our Lord call Herod a fox?
Pay close attention to the force of the expression, for the words used seem to be directed
to and regard to the person of Herod. But they really refer to the craftiness of the Pharisees. For
while He would naturally have said, “Tell that fox, ” He does not do so, but using very skillfully
a middle sort of expression, He, so to speak, pointed to the Pharisee, who was close beside Him
and said this fox. And He compares the man to a fox, for it is constantly a very crafty animal
and, if I so may speak, malicious, such as were the Pharisees.
The Lord said of Herod “Go and tell that fox.” Because the fox is troubled. What did it
do? It slaughtered infants in the place of the infant Word. They were made martyrs by the
shedding of their blood before they could confess the Lord with their mouths.
St. Augustine288
286 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, CLC, p. 401.

287 Ibid.
288 St. Augustine, Sermon 375.1 AACS, v. 3, p. 232.
Page 138
“I must walk today, tomorrow, and the following day"
Our Lord Jesus Christ was now on His last journey to Jerusalem, now in the jurisdiction
of Herod (v. 31). Although in the Gospel of St. Luke it seems that the ministry of our Lord was
much longer than three days at this point, the church prepares this reading for us to remind us
that we will commemorate the crucifixion of our Lord in three days.
Additionally, there is a special significance to the mention here of the “third day.” The
third day, is generally symbolic in many references to not only the Lord’s resurrection
(Matt. 17:23; 1 Cor. 15:4), but also the hour of His death (the third hour after noon—Mark
15:25V and the third day that Isaac was offered by his father.
Why couldn yt a prophet die outside of Jerusalem ?
According to a provision in the law of Moses, any man who professes to be a prophet can
be only tried on that ground by the grand Sanhedrin, which always resides at Jerusalem. In this
one verse, therefore, our Lord makes three separate prophesies: that the Jews will accuse Him of
being a false prophet; that He would be tried by the Sanhedrin; and that the Jews would
eventually put Him to death.
It was prophetic that Moses had given [the Israelites] the order to offer their sacrifice in
one single place [Deu. 12:2-18]. There to offer the lamb in sacrifice and [there] to accomplish an
image of the redemption. Herod did not kill [the Lord] with the infants of Bethlehem, nor did the
Nazarenes when they hurled Him down from the mountain, since it was not possible for Him to
die outside of Jerusalem—for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.
What r the hen9
That hen is the Divine Wisdom; but I assumed flesh to accommodate Itself to its
chickens. See the hen with feathers bristling, with wings hanging down, with voice broken, and
tremulous, and faint, and languid, accommodating herself to her little ones. Our egg then, that is,
our hope, let us place beneath the wings of this hen.
St. Augustine290
I came as a hen to protect them, but they received Me in hatred and betrayal, I came as a
mother, and they assumed I came to kill them, so they killed Me.
St. Jerome291
289 St. Ephram the Syrian, Commentary on Tatian’s Diatesseron, AACS v. 2, p. 232.
290 St. Augustine, Harmony of the Gospel, NPNF, s.l, v. 8, p. 928.
291 St. Jerome, an excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Matthew.
Page 139
O bey the Instructions o f the Lord
Hosea 4:15-5:7 Psalm 90:2,3 Luke 21:34-38

In this hour, we focus on the Bridegroom as the instructor of a faithless and sinful bride.
After Israel commits wickedness against her Bridegroom, the Lord rebukes the entire church in
the book of Hosea—including its priests, the king, and the entire house—saying that He will
instruct or correct us. 292
The gospel of this hour clearly represents the Lord as our Great Instructor and Teacher in
two ways. First, the Lord here teaches us not to fall into the sins of sin, drunkenness and
worry—or else we will receive the same judgment as Israel did in the prophesy of Hosea.
Second, the Lord as our Good Teacher was teaching early in the temple every day (Luke 21:37).
This instruction was also given while the Lord was explaining to them the parable of the fig tree.
His main message to them was to watch and be ready with fruits of repentance and love.
The exposition continues this message by showing the Lord is not only an instructor but
“an attending physician treating us for free.” It then implores us to follow His teachings
diligently.
Hosea 4:15-5:7
“Though you, Israel, play the harlot, Let not Judah offend. Do not come up to Gilgal, Nor go up to Beth
Aven, Nor swear an oath, saying, ‘As the L o r d lives’—
16”por Israel is stubborn Like a stubborn calf; Now the L or d will let them forage Like a lamb in open
country.
^ ’’Ephraim is joined to idols, Let him alone. *^Their drink is rebellion, They commit harlotry continually.
Her rulers dearly love dishonor. ^ T h e wind has wrapped her up in its wings, And they shall be ashamed because of
their sacrifices.
5-l”Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For yours is the
judgment, Because you have been a snare to Mizpah And a net spread on Tabor. ^The revolters are deeply involved
in slaughter, Though but I will instruct them all. 3I know Ephraim, And Israel is not hidden from Me; For
now, O Ephraim, you commit harlotry; Israel is defiled.
4”They do not direct their deeds Toward turning to their God, For the spirit of harlotry is in their midst,
And they do not know the L o r d . ^The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in
their iniquity; Judah also stumbles with them.
6”With their flocks and herds They shall go to seek the L o r d , But they will not find Him; He has
withdrawn Himself from them. ^They have dealt treacherously with the L o r d , For they have begotten pagan
children. Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.
[Our Instructor] is called Jesus: Sometimes He calls Himself a shepherd, and says, “I am
the Good Shepherd. ” According to a metaphor drawn from shepherds, who lead the sheep, is
hereby understood the Instructor, who leads the children—the Shepherd who tends the
babes. For the babes are simple, being figuratively described as sheep. “And they shall all, ” it is
said, “be one flock, and one Shepherd. ” The Word, then, who leads the children to salvation, is
appropriately called the Instructor...With the greatest clearness, accordingly, the Word has
spoken respecting Himself by Hosea: “I am your I n s t r u c t o r [Hos. 5:2] Now piety is
292 Although modem translations interpret 5:2 as “I will punish all of them.” (NRSV; NCV); “I rebuke them all”
(NKJV); I am rejected by them all” (NAB), the original Greek is most probably “I will instruct you.” For St.
Clement and Theodotus both used this phrase when commenting on the passage, as explained below.
Page 140
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church 7
instruction, being the learning of the service of God, and training in the knowledge of the truth,
The Holy Pascha
and right guidance which leads to heaven. And the word “instruction” is employed variously. For
there is the instruction of him who is led and learns, and that of him who leads and teaches; and
there is, thirdly, the guidance itself; and fourthly, what is taught, as the commandments enjoined.
Now the instruction which is of God is the right direction of truth to the contemplation of God,
and the exhibition of holy deeds in everlasting perseverance...
The Spirit by Hosea says, “I am your I n s tr u c to r [Hos. 5:2] “Blow the trumpet upon
the hills o f the Lord; sound upon the high places. ” [Hos. 5:8]294 And is not baptism itself, which
is the sign of regeneration, an escape from matter, by the teaching of the Savior, a great
impetuous stream, ever rushing on and bearing us along? The Lord accordingly, leading us out of
disorder, illumines us by bringing us into the light, which is shadowless and is material no
longer.
Theodotus295
I know Ephraim (5:3) means “I loved.” We se this from God’s words, “I instruct them
because I loved Ephraim and I did not remove Israel from Me. For though she plays the whore
in idolatry, nevertheless I would not reject her, but I will be with her.” This is in harmony with
what the prophet was told in the beginning, when he was ordered to marry a whore. Who would
not love an instructor who corrects with love rather than with anger? This is also the instruction
pertaining to every leader: to chastise not for anger but for education and assistance.
Blessed Theophylact296
P salm 91:2,3
2My helper and my refuge, My God in whom I trust;3For He will deliver you from the snare of the hunters
and from every troublesome matter.
L uke 2 l: 3 4 - 3 8
“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of
this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. -^For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face
of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these
things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” ^7And in the daytime He was teaching in the
temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. 38Then early in the morning all the
people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.
E x po sit io n
As an attending physician, Jesus was treating us for free. He reminds us that excessive eating strains the heart
and saps the power from the body. Similarly, obsession in worldly concerns could bring on us vicious passions and
cause us to stray away from the fear of God. Satan would then overwhelm us, drive us way from the path of
salvation, diminish the awareness of our soul’s salvation, and subject us to the dominion of death just as the pray
falls in the trap.
293 St. Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor, Book 1, Ch. 6, ANF, v. 2.

294 Although Theodotus is quoting Hosea 5:8 here, the most common translations indicate the actual words are,
“Blow the horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah.
295 Theodotus, Excerpts, 5, ANF, v. 8.
296 Blessed Theophylact, Commentary on Hosea 5, PG 126:657; AACS OT v. 14, p. 24.
Page 141
Be alert and present fruits worthy of righteousness and atonement so that you may stand in front of our Judge
and Savior, Jesus. He was teaching publicly in the temple. By night He rested on the Mount of Olives; by day, He
went to Jerusalem where the people gathered early to listen to His teachings that are replete with righteousness.
The crowd of the Jews and their rulers stood up against the glory of Christ and argued
with the Lord of all. Anyone may perceive that those Jews prepared their saner against their own
souls, because they dug for themselves pitfalls if destruction...it then says that he taught in the
temple but lodged during t he nights on the mountain called the Mount of Olives. Clearly what
he taught were things that surpass the legal service. The time had come when the shadow must
be chanted into the reality. They also gladly heard Him, for they often wondered about Him,
because Christ’s word was with power.
He stayed during the nights on the Mount of Olives avoiding uproars that were in the
city, that in this He might also be an example to us. It is the duty of those who lead a life quiet
and calm, full of rest, to avoid as far as possible the crowd and noise.
Pmper
O what shall be done to me, the harlot?
How great are the sins which I have committed
against You, O Lord? How could You have
chosen me as Your bride, since You knew my
weakness and my sinful nature?
But You have shown both Your
patience and mercy long with Your justice and
judgment. For if my soul is not full of guilt
due to Your great longsuffering; then I will be
rebuked by Your stem discipline. Teach me, O
Lord, Your righteousness.
O that I can be as those people who
awoke early in the morning to listen to You, O
Lord in the temple! Defeat my laziness,
overcome my weakness, strengthen me with
Your mighty hand. O that I had the same
fervent heart as I once had for Your
commandments. Inflame me with the fire of
divine love, as You did with David and Your
holy prophets. Shape me as clay in the hand of
the potter, make me a vessel of honor to glorify
Your holy name.
297 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 140, Commentary on Luke, CLC, pp. 561-562.
Page 142
N inth H ou r .: "W oe to y o u , hypocrites !"
Hosea 10:12-11:2 Psalm 32:10,11 Luke 11:37-52

“Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; for it is time to seek the Lord, till He
comes and rains righteousness on you. You have plowed wickedness; you have reaped iniquity. ”
What a magnificent prophesy, as if it were written especially for the same issue to which the
gospel of the ninth hour speaks: “Now you Pharisees make the outside o f the cup and dish clean
but your inward part is full o f greed and wickedness. ” This is the hypocrisy and artificiality that
the prophet Hosea spoke about.”
Fr. Pishoy Kamel298
H o s e a 10 = 1 2 - 1 1 * 1 2
12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the
L o r d , that He may come and rain righteousness upon you. 13 You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped
injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your power and in the multitude of your
warriors,14 therefore the tumult of war shall rise against your people, and all your fortresses shall be destroyed, as
Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle when mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.15Thus it
shall be done to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness. At dawn the king of Israel shall be utterly cut off.
11 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My Son.2 The more I called them, the
more they went from Me; they kept sacrificing to the Baals, and offering incense to idols.3Yet it was I who taught
Ephraim to walk, I took them up in My arms; but they did not know that I healed them.41 led them with cords of
human kindness, with bands of love. I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them
and fed them.5 They shall return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to
return to me.6 The sword rages in their cities, it consumes their oracle-priests, and devours because of their
schemes.7My people are bent on turning away from me. To the Most High they call, but he does not raise them up at
a ll.8How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How
can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender.9 1 will not
execute my fierce anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and no mortal, the Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come in wrath.10They shall go after the L o r d , who roars like a lion; when he roars, his children shall
come trembling from the west. 11 They shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of
Assyria; and I will return them to their homes, says the L o r d . 12Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house
of Israel with deceit; but Judah still walks with God, and is faithful to the Holy One.
“Out of Egypt I have called My Son”
When [the Lord] comes up out of Egypt, [the evangelists] mention Hosea, saying, “Out
o f Egypt have I called My Son ” (Matt. 2:15; Hosea 11:1).
Again the same evangelist writes that at the warning of an angel Joseph took the young
child and his mother and went into Egypt and remained there till the death of Herod; “that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken o f the Lord by the prophet saying, Out o f Egypt have I called
my son. ” The Latin manuscripts do not so give the passage, but in Hosea the true Hebrew text
has the following: — “When Israel was a child then I loved him, and called my son out o f
Egypt. ” Which the Septuagint renders thus: — “When Israel was a child then I loved him, and
called His Son out o f Egypt. ” Are they altogether to be rejected because they have given another
turn to a passage which refers primarily to the mystery of Christ?
St. Jerome300
298 Fr. Pishoy Kamel, p. 35.

299 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 13 on John, NPNF s, 1. v. 14.
300 St. Jerome, NPNF, s. 2, v. 6, p. 289.
Page 143
Herod sought Him after His birth. He was going to kill all the children in that place.
And the prophet revealed this too, telling beforehand...[Jer. 31:5; Mt. 2:18] The Scriptures also
predicted that He would come to Egypt when they said, "Out o f Egypt I called My Son. ”
P s a l m 3 2 : 1 0 , 11
10 The L or d brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; and frustrates the plans of the peoples.11The counsel of the
L o r d stands forever, the thoughts of His heart from generation to generation.
The Lord frustrates the counsel o f the sinners; ” of them that seek not His Kingdom, but
kingdoms of their own. “He makes the devices o f the people o f none effect: ” of them who covet
earthly happiness. “And reproves the counsels o f princes ” (v. 10): of them that seek to rule over
such peoples.
“But the counsel o f the Lord stands for ever; ” but the counsel of the Lord, whereby He
makes none blessed but him that submits unto Himself, stands for ever. “The thoughts o f His
Heart to all generations ” (v. 11): the thoughts of His Wisdom are not mutable, but endure to all
generations...
St. Augustine302
L uke H : 3 7 ~ 5 2
And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat.
3 ^When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. -^Then the Lord said to him,
“Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and
wickedness. ^ F o o l i s h ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 4 *But rather give alms of such
things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. ^ B u t woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue
and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you should have done, without leaving the
others undone. 43Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the
marketplaces. 44Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the
men who walk over them are not aware o f them. ” ^ T h e n 0ne of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher,
by saying these things You reproach us also.” ^£>And pje “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with
burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. ^ W o e to you! For you
build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 4În fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds
of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. ^ T h e r e f o r e the wisdom of God also said, ‘I
will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’ ^ th a t the blood of all the
prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, f r o m the blood of
Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required
of this generation. ^ W o e to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in
yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”
Why did our Lord accept the invitation to the house o f a Pharisee, those who were impure ,
,
envious and proud? Wasn *t He aware o f their maliciousness?
He was especially anxious to admonish them, thereby resembling the most excellent
physician. For they apply the remedies of their are to those who are most dangerously ill,
301 St. John Chrysostom, Demonstration Against the Pagans 3.7, FC v. 73, p. 199; AACS OT v. 14, p. 44.
302 St. Augustine, Commentary on the Psalms, NPNF, s.l, v.8, p. 176.
Page 144
struggling against the disease under which they suffer, and lessening its cruel attacks. As they,
therefore, without restraint gave way to an infatuated mind, it was necessary for Christ to speak
unto them what was requisite and useful for their salvation. For as He Himself says, “I did not
come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. ” (Matt. 9:13); and again, “Those who are
well have no need o f a physician, but those who are sick. ” (Matt. 9:12). The Pharisee, therefore,
for some purpose of his own invites Him to an entertainment; and the Savior of all submits, for
the economy’s sake. He made the matter an opportunity of giving instruction, not consuming the
time of their meeting in the enjoyment of food and delicacies, but in the task of making those
more virtuous who were assembled there...The Savior, therefore acted in accordance with the
plan of salvation; and being invited to a banquet, bestowed spiritual food, not only upon His
entertainer, but upon all those who were feasting with Him. And let us too pray to Him for this
spiritual food; for He is that “living Bread which came down from heaven, and gives life unto the
world. ” (Jn. 6:51)...
In what follows there is no doubt that the suffering of the body is shown by the same cup
[Lk. 22:42], when the Lord said, “Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” [Jn.
18:11] Whoever swallows bodily frailty in spiritual love and ours it into the mind and spirit so
that the interior drains the weakness of the exterior drinks His Body. You perceive that the
inside, not the outside of this cup or platter defiles us? A good teacher taught us how we should
cleanse the pollution of our body saying, “Give alms, and behold, all things are clean to you. ”
[Acts 10:14-15].
Do you see how many remedies there are? Compassion cleanses us. The Word of God
cleanses us, according to what is written “Now you are clean because o f the word that I have
spoken to you. ” [Jn. 15:3] Not only in this passage but also in others you have revealed how
great grace is. “Alms delivers from death. ” [Tob. 12:9] “Store up alms in the heart o f the poor,
and it shall obtain help for you on the evil day. ” [Sir. 29:12]
St. Ambrose304
303 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, pp. 337-9.
304 St. Ambrose, Exposition of the Gospel of Luke 7.100-101, AACS, v. 3, p. 199.
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church ■i The Holy Pascha
E le v e n t h H o i / r
"W a it for H im *
Amos 5:6-14 Psalm 121:4 Mark 13:32-14:2
The same theme continues, with expectations of the messiah and the preparation of our
hearts. The prophesy of Amos speaks of the final days, when the wickedness of men will
increase, and transgressions will abound, as explained by St. Hippolytus. St. John Chrysostom
gives us hope by explaining how the Lord will transform us into a glorious state.
The psalm read here is the same as read in sixth hour of Monday. Again, during the
evening hours we focus on the End of Days and our preparation.
The gospel also speaks of the “hour in which the Son of man” shall come. This gospel is
also read during the ninth hour of Holy Wednesday (though read in Matthew).
A mos 5 : 6 - 1 4
6Seek the Lord and live, Lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, And devour it, With no one to
quench it in Bethel— 7You who turn justice to wormwood, And lay righteousness to rest in the earth!”
8He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning And makes the day dark as
night; He calls for the waters of the se And pours them out on the face of the earth The L or d is His name. 9He rains
ruin upon the strong, So that fury comes upon the fortress.
10They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, And they abhor the one who speaks uprightly. 11Therefore,
because you tread down the poor And take grain taxes from him, Though you have built houses of hewn stone,
Yet you shall not dwell in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, But you shall not drink wine from
them. 12For I know your manifold transgressions And your mighty sins: Afflicting the just and taking bribes;
Diverting the poor from justice at the gate. 13Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time, For it is an evil time.
14Seek good and not evil, That you may live; So the L or d God of hosts will be with you, As you have
spoken.
Listen to Hosea, as he speaks thus grandly: “In those days the Lord shall bring on a
burning wind from the desert against them, and shall make their veins dry, and shall make their
springs desolate; and all their goodly vessels shall be spoiled. Because they rose up against God,
they shall fall by the sword, and their women with child shall be ripped up. ” [Hos. 13:15] And
what else is this burning wind from the east, than the Antichrist that is to destroy and dry up the
veins of the waters and the fruits of the trees in his times, because men set their hearts on his
works? For which reason he shall indeed destroy them, and they shall serve him in his pollution.
For Amos prophesied of the same things in a manner quite in accordance... [Amos 5:11-
13] Learn, beloved, the wickedness of the men of that time, how they spoil houses and
fields, and take even justice from the just; for when these things come to pass, you may
know that it is the end. For this reason art you instructed in the wisdom of the prophet, and
the revelation that is to be in those days. And all the prophets, as we bare already said, have
clearly signified the things that are to come to pass in the last times, just as they also have
declared things of old.
St. Hippolytus305
See how highly God has honored us, in committing to us so excellent a frame. I made
heaven and earth, He says, and to you I give the power of creation. Make your earth heaven. For
it is in your power. ‘/ am He that makes and transforms all things’ (Amos 5:8), says God of
305 St. Hippolytus, Appendix to the Works of Hippolytus, 5, ANF, v. 5.
Page 146
Treasures, o f the Fathers o f the Church i The Holy Pascha
Himself. And He has given to men a similar power; as a painter, being an affectionate father,
teaches his own are to his son. I formed your body beautiful, he says, but I give you the power of
forming something better. Make your soul beautiful. I said, ‘Let the earth bring forth grass, and
every fruitful tree.' (Gen. 1:11.).
P s a l m 121:4
To it the tribes go up, the tribes o f the L o r d , as w as decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the nam e o f the
Lord.
Mark 1 3 : 3 2 - 1 4 : 2
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
33Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34ft is like a man going to a far country, who
left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.
35Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming-in the evening, at midnight, at the
crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—36lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37And what I say to you, I
say to all: Watch!”
14:1After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the
scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. 2But they said, “Not during the feast, lest
there be an uproar of the people.”
I f Christ is the Logos a n i the Wisimn of God, how come He says that does not know the time
o f the Last Day?
This verse, along with Luke 2:52 are verses which speak of the human knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ. The Arians appealed to these passages to support the contention that the
Word, or the Son of God in His Divine nature, was ignorant of ‘the Day,’ and advanced in
knowledge.307 This subject is the focus of St. Athanasius’ Third Oration, quoted at length below.
We can not understand this verse in a carnal way and say that the Father knows
something which the Son does not know. For indeed when He said, “the Father knows it;” He
said this because in the Father the Son also knows it. For what is there in a day which was not
made by the Word, by whom the day was made?
St. Augustine 308
If the Son is the Creator of the world, and does not know the time of the judgment, then He
does not know what He created. For He said that He was not ignorant of the judgment, but of the
time. If the Son does not have knowledge of all things that the Father has knowledge, then He
spoke falsely when He said ‘A ll things that the Father has are M y’ and As the Father knows Me
so know I the Father.' [It is impossible to distinguish] between knowing the Father and knowing
the things that the Father has... [But our Lord] was silent concerning the season of the judgment,
because it was so fitting for men to hear. Constant expectation kindles a warmer zeal for true
religion. The knowledge that a long interval of time was to elapse would have made men more
careless about true religion, from the hope of being saved by a subsequent change of life. How
could He who had known everything up to this time (for so He said) not know that hour also? If
so, then the Apostle vainly said ‘In whom are hid all the treasures o f wisdom and knowledge. ”
306 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 11 on 1 Timothy, NPNF, s. 1, v. 13, p. 957.

307 Archibald Robertson Introduction to St. Athanasius, NPNF, s.2, v.4, p. 175.
Page 147
“I f the Holy Spirit, who ‘searches the deep things o f God, ’ cannot be ignorant of anything that is
God’s, then, as they who will not even allow Him to be equal must contend, the Holy Spirit is
greater than the Son.
Again, our Lord’s language in St. Mark 13:32, must not be taken as signifying ignorance
on the part of the Son of His Father’s purpose. For, according to St. Paul (Colossians 2:3), in
Him “are hidden all the treasures o f wisdom and knowledge. ” Therefore, He must know the
day and hour of judgment. He is ignorant relatively to us, in the sense that He will not
betray His Father’s secret...
When the heretics allege [that our Lord did not have this knowledge, they appear as]
giants fighting against God. For the Lord of heaven and earth, by whom all things were made,
has to litigate before them about day and hour; and the Word who knows all things is accused by
them of ignorance about a day; and the Son who knows the Father is said to be ignorant of an
hour of a day; now what can be spoken more contrary to sense, or what madness can be likened
to this?
Through the Word all things have been made, times and seasons and night and day and
the whole creation; and is the Framer of all said to be ignorant of His work? And the very
context of the lection shows that the Son of God knows that hour and that day, though the Arians
fall headlong in their ignorance. For after saying, ‘nor-the Son,’ He relates to the disciples what
precedes the day, saying, ‘This and that shall be, and then the end. ’ But He who speaks of what
precedes the day, knows certainly the day also, which shall be manifested subsequently to the
things foretold. But if He had not known the hour, He had not signified the events before it, as
not knowing when it should be. And as any one, who, by way of pointing out a house or city to
those who were ignorant of it, gave an account of what comes before the house or city, and
having described all, said, 'Then immediately comes the city or the house, ’ would know of course
where the house or the city was (for had he not known, he had not described what comes before
lest from ignorance he should throw his hearers far out of the way, or in speaking he should
unawares go beyond the object), so the Lord saying what precedes that day and that hour, knows
exactly, nor is ignorant, when the hour and the day are at hand.
St. Athanasius310
Every one should think of as concerning his own last day; lest haply when you judge or
think the last day of the world to be far distant, you slumber with respect to your own last
day...Let no one then search out for the last Day, when it is to be; but let us watch all by our
good lives, lest the last day of any one of us find us unprepared, and such as any one shall depart
hence on his last day, such he be found in the last day of the world. Nothing will then assist you
which you shall not have done here. His own works will help, or his own works will overwhelm
every one.
St. Augustine 311
309 St. Basil the Great, Prolegomena, NPNF, s. 2, v.8, p. 49.

310 St. Athanasius, Oration 3, NPNF, s.2, v.4, p. 1030.
Page 148
, ,
I f the Son knew the hour why didn 7 He tell the disciples plainly so they wouldn’t be curious
or silent and why did He say I do not know?
He made this as those other declarations as man by reason of the flesh. For this as
before is not the Word’s deficiency, but of that human nature whose property it is to be ignorant.
And this again will be well seen by honestly examining into the occasion, when and to whom the
Savior spoke thus. Not then when the heaven was made by Him, nor when He was with the
Father Himself, the Word 'disposing all things, ’ nor before He became man did He say it, but
when 'the Word became flesh. ’ On this account it is reasonable to ascribe to His manhood
everything which, after He became man, He speaks humanly. For it is proper to the Word to
know what was made, nor be ignorant either of the beginning or of the end of these (for the
works are His), and He knows how many things He wrought, and the limit of their consistence.
And knowing of each the beginning and the end, He knows surely the general and common end
of all. Certainly when He says in the Gospel concerning Himself in His human character,
‘Father, the hour is come, glorify Your Son, ’ it is plain that He knows also the hour of the end of
all things, as the Word, though as man He is ignorant of it, for ignorance is proper to man, and
especially ignorance of these things. Moreover this is proper to the Savior’s love of man; for
since He was made man, He is not ashamed, because of the flesh which is ignorant , to say 7
know not, ’ that He may show that knowing as God, He is but ignorant according to the flesh.
And therefore He did not say, ‘no, the Son of God does not knows,’ lest the Godhead should
seem ignorant, but simply, ‘no, not the Son,' that the ignorance might be the Son’s as bom from
among men.
Everyone except the Arians would confess that He who knows the Father, much more
knows the whole of the creation, and in that whole, its end. If the day and hour is to be
determined by the Father, it is clear that they are determined through the Son. He knows
Himself what has been determined through Him, for there is nothing that has come to be and has
been determined except through the Son.
Therefore He, being the Framer of the universe, knows of what nature, and of what
magnitude, and with what limits, the Father has willed it to be made; and in the how much
and how far is included its period.
Again, if all that is the Father’s is the Son’s (and this He Himself has said), and if it is the
Father’s attribute to know the day, it is plain that the Son also knows it, having this proper to
Him from the Father. And again, if the Son is in the Father and the Father in the Son, and if the
Father knows the day and the hour, it is clear that the Son, being in the Father and knowing the
things of the Father, also knows the day and the hour.
If the Son is the Father’s Very Image, and the Father knows the day and the hour, it is
plain that the Son has this likeness also to the Father of knowing them. And it is not wonderful if
He, through whom all things were made, and in whom the universe consists, Himself knows
what has been brought to be, and when the end will be of each and of all together... Rather is it
wonderful that this audacity [of the Arians], suitable as it is to the madness of the Ariomaniacs,
should have forced us to resort to such a long defense. For ranking the Son of God, the Eternal
Word, among things originate, they are not far from venturing to maintain that the Father
Himself is second to the creation. For if He who knows the Father knows not the day nor the
hour, I fear lest the knowledge of the creation, or rather of the lower portion of it, be greater, as
they in their madness would say, than knowledge concerning the Father.
He been divinely ignorant, He must have said, ‘Watch therefore, for I know not,’ and,
‘In an hour when I think not;’ but He did not say this. By saying ‘You do not know’ and ‘in an
Page 149
hour you do not expect,’ He has signified that it belongs to man to be ignorant. For whose sake
He too having a flesh like theirs and having become man, said ‘No, not the Son knows,’ for He
knew not in flesh, though knowing as Word. In the example from Noah exposes the
shamelessness of Christ’s enemies; for there too He said not, ‘I knew not,’ but ‘They knew not
until the flood came.’ For men did not know, but He who brought the flood (and it was the
Savior Himself) knew the day and the hour in which He opened the falls of heaven and broke up
the great deep, and said to Noah, 'Come and all your house into the ark. ’ For if He was ignorant,
He would not have foretold to Noah, ‘Yet seven days and I will bring a flood upon the earth. ’
But if in describing the day He makes use of the parallel of Noah’s time, and He did know the
day of the flood, therefore He knows also the day of His own coming.
Our Lord alludes to the angels, but He did not go further and say, ‘not the Holy Spirit;’
but He was silent for two reasons. First, that if the Spirit knew, much more must the Word
know, considered as the Word, from whom the Spirit receives. Secondly, His silence about the
Spirit makes it clear that He spoke of His human ministry when He said ‘no, not the Son. ’ This
is proven by the fact that when He had spoken humanly ‘No, not the Son knows,' He yet shows
that divinely He knew all things. For that Son whom He declares not to know the day, Him He
declares to know the Father; for ‘No one, ’ He says, ‘knows the Father except the Son. ’
St. Athanasius312
312 St. Athanasius, Oration 3, §§44,46, NPNF, s. 2, v. 4, pp. 1030-1040.
Page 150
C hapter 8
H o l y Tu e s d a y
“B e h o l d t h e B r i d e g r o o m ’*
J o h n 12: 35-50
Page 151
Through both the prophesies of the Old Testament and parables of the New Testament,
the readings of Holy Tuesday focus on the Lord as our Bridegroom. So many parables are
included, that some to have referred to this day as the Day of Parables.
Whereas the first two hours of Holy Tuesday focus more on the goal of the righteous to
have a heart yearning for the Lord like the five wise virgins; the sixth and ninth focus more on
the punishment of the wicked as the five foolish virgins. The Church teaches us in this manner
that one who is not motivated positively out of love for the Lord; may be motivated out of fear.
The first lesson in the First Hour of Holy Tuesday is how the righteous keep a heart for
God. Our Lord began the last week of His earthly life debating with the Jewish priests, Scribes
and Pharisees different topics regarding His message and the religion of Judaism. The
opposition between their teachings and the Truth manifests itself in a very distinct manner. The
Church has prepared a selection of these passages in the gospel readings as well as in the
prophesies especially in this hour to remind us whether we have the same hard heart as the
Pharisees or the soft, repentant heart that accepts Him.
We continue asking ourselves this question in the remaining hours, in which we declare
our continuing search for the Bridegroom and our expectation of His Second Coming. We read
in the Third Hour a passage from Job, which declares our cry, “Oh that I knew where I might
find Himl’XJob 23:2) Where can we find the Messiah, the Lover of our souls? We also read of
the contrast between the righteous and the wicked in terms of suffering persecution. The wicked
persecute the prophets with a cold heart. Many examples of the suffering of the righteous are
also included, such as Job and Elijah. Finally, our Lord places the contrast between the Pharisees
who will be destroyed like Jerusalem for their hard hearts.
In the sixth and ninth hours, the good deeds and worship of the righteous are contrasted
with the punishment and destruction of the wicked. In the Sixth Hour, the wicked will be slain
by the sword of the Lord (Ezekiel) but the righteous will “fight to the death for truth. ” (Sirac)
The Lord also distinguishes between His sons of light and those of darkness. To the latter He
says, “Ijudge no man.. .yet if Ijudge My judgment is true. ”
In the Ninth Hour we also see the contrast between the judgment of the righteous and the
wicked through the examples of the Great Flood (Genesis) and the prophesies of the Second
Coming and the abomination of desolation (Daniel, Isaiah, John).
The Eleventh Hour speaks in even more detail of the Lord’s Second Coming in its
prophesies, psalm and gospel.
g th
HOUR 1st 3rd 6th 11th
Theme H eart fo r God Tribulation fo r Punishment Worship and Throne o f God
the Righteous fo r the Wicked Judgm ent
Prophesies Ex. 19:1-8 Deu. 8:11-20 Ezek. 21:3-13 Gen. 2:15- Is. 30:25-30
Job 23:2- Sir. 2:1-9 Sir. 4:23-5:2 3:24 Prov. 6:20-7:4
24:25 Job 27:1-28:2 Is. 1:1-9 Is. 40:1-5
Hos. 4:1-8 1 Ki. 19:9-14 Prov. 1:1-9
Sermon St. Shenouda — ___ — —
Psalm 61:7,6 118:154, 155 17:48,17 24:1-3 44:6; 40:1

Gospel John 8:21-29 Mt. 23:37-24:2 John 8:12-20 Matt. 24:3-35 Jn. 25:14-26:2
Page 152
THE FIRSTHOWR
A H e a r t f o r God
Ex. 19:1-8; Job 23:2-24:25; Hos. 4:1-8 Ps 61:7,6 Jn 8:21-29
The prophesies of this hour demonstrate the sharp contrast between the those who chose
to follow in the paths of the Lord and the rest of the world.
In Exodus, we read how God declares to that the people of Israel were chosen with a
special calling. This passage focuses on the obedience of the children of Israel and how they
were called to be HOLY, distinct from the rest of the entire world. They would receive a new
law, but this one would be written in their hearts (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:7-10).
In the passage of Job, we see how God softened his heart so that he remained in fear and
obedience to Him.
In Hosea, the children of Israel are told of the controversy between God with those who
have no knowledge of truth, of mercy or of God. Because they rejected knowledge, they sinned
and God must reject them. We also read of the sin offering, symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ
who is perfect, holy, and without blemish.
The Homily of St. Shenouda the Archimandrite reminds us “to yield our heart to the
Written Word.”
The Psalm then prophesies of those who will war against the Messiah, even though He
dealt with them peacefully.
The Gospel then clarifies these two paths. “You are from beneath; I am from
above... You are o f this world; I am not o f this world... Those who believe will be saved; those
who do not will perish. ”
I xodus
In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came
to the Wilderness of Sinai. 2For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped
in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain. 3And Moses went up to God, and the L or d called to
him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4’You have
seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5Now
therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me
above all people; for all the earth is My. 6And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.9
These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
7So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the
L o r d commanded him. 8Then all the people answered together and said, “All that the L ord has spoken we will do.”
So Moses brought back the words of the people to the L o r d .
[Here] the Lord is proclaiming His practical love for His people, saying: ‘7 bore you on
eagle’s wings ” (v. 4) As though He wanted to clarify that mutual love, is the basis of that Law.
He loved us, and bore us by the Holy Spirit (eagle’s wings), and brought us to Himself, namely,
to His divine bosoms, in order to experience His love, and to recognize His fatherhood. The goal
of the Law is: “You shall be a special treasure to me above all people; For all the earth is My.
And you shall to Me a kingdom o f priests and a holy nation ” (Ex. 19: 5, 6) Although He does not
need that, as all the earth is His; Yet He desires us to be His own, with the privilege of sonhood;
a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation, dedicated to Him, and bearing His holy nature.
313Fr. Tadros Malaty, Patristic Commentary on Exodus, Ch. 19.
Page 153
<ftb>
;
“To the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi. ” Since it was likely that the Jews too
would call themselves “saints” from the first oracle, when they were called a “holy people, a
people for God's own possession “ (Ex. 19:6; Deu. 7:6). For this reason he added, “to the saints
in Christ Jesus.” For these alone are holy, and those hence-forward profane.
Why did the Lord chose Mount Sinai?
The choice of the location (the Mount of Sinai), was not without meaning; According to
the scholar Origen, ‘Sinai,’ like the wilderness of ‘Sin’, means (bush) or (temptation), where
man is committed to have the spirit of sound discernment, in order not to fall into temptation,
through visions of a false bush. According to him, ‘Sinai’ means that the soul started to acquire
the ‘sound judgment’, through receiving the divine commandment or Law; to become capable of
enjoying the divine secrets and the heavenly visions.
j o b a a ?a - 2 4 s a s
“Even today my complaint is bitter; My hand is listless because of my groaning. 3Oh, that I knew where
I might find Him, That I might come to His seat! 4I would present my case before Him, And fill my mouth with
arguments.
5I would know the words which He would answer me, And understand what He would say to me. 6Would He
contend with me in His great power? No! But He would take note of me. 7There the upright could reason with Him,
And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
8”Look, I go forward, but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him; 9When He
works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. 10But He knows
the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. 11My foot has held fast to His steps; I
have kept His way and not turned aside. 12I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured
the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.
13’’But He is unique, and who can make Him change And whatever His soul desires, that He does. 14For
He performs what is appointed for me, And many such things are with Him. 1th e re fo re I am terrified at His
presence; When I consider this, I am afraid of Him. 16For God made my heart weak, And the Almighty terrifies me;
17Because I was not cut off from the presence of darkness, And He did not hide deep darkness from my face.
“Since times are not hidden from the Almighty, Why do those who know Him see not His days? 2,,Some
remove landmarks; They seize flocks violently and feed on them; 3They drive away the donkey of the fatherless;
They take the widow’s ox as a pledge. 4They push the needy off the road; All the poor of the land are forced to
hide. 5Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert, They go out to their work, searching for food. The wilderness yields
food for them and for their children. 6They gather their fodder in the field And glean in the vineyard of the wicked.
7They spend the night naked, without clothing, And have no covering in the cold. 8They are wet with the showers
of the mountains, And huddle around the rock for want of shelter.
9”Some snatch the fatherless from the breast, And take a pledge from the poor. 10They cause the poor to go
naked, without clothing; And they take away the sheaves from the hungry. 11They press out oil within their walls,
And tread winepresses, yet suffer thirst. 12The dying groan in the city, And the souls of the wounded cry out; Yet
God does not charge them with wrong.
13”There are those who rebel against the light; They do not know its ways Nor abide in its paths. 14The
murderer rises with the light; He kills the poor and needy; And in the night he is like a thief. 15The eye of the
adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, ‘No eye will see me’; And he disguises his face. 16In the dark they break
into houses Which they marked for themselves in the daytime; They do not know the light. 17For the morning is the
same to them as the shadow of death; If someone recognizes them, They are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
314 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Corinthians, NPNF, s. 1, v. 12, p. 125.

315 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Patristic Commentary on Exodus, Ch. 19.
Page 154
18”They should be swift on the face of the waters, Their portion should be cursed in the earth, So that no
one would turn into the way of their vineyards. 19As drought and heat consume the snow waters, So the grave
consumes those who have sinned. 20The womb should forget him, The worm should feed sweetly on him; He
should be remembered no more, And wickedness should be broken like a tree. 21For he preys on the barren who do
not bear, And does no good for the widow.
22”But God draws the mighty away with His power; He rises up, but no man is sure of life. 23He
gives them security, and they rely on it; Yet His eyes are on their ways. 24They are exalted for a little while, Then
they are gone. They are brought low; They are taken out of the way like all others; They dry out like the heads of
grain. 25”Now if it is not so, who will prove me a liar, And make my speech worth nothing?”
In this passage, Job declares how his chief agony was not his loss of money, wealth,
family, friends, or health. But he could not perceive, behold or see the work of the Lord in all of
this. (23:8-9). However, he still put his trust in the Lord (Job 23:10-15; 13:15). As St.
Augustine explains, this passage from Job is a good example for us that we must continue
steadfast in righteousness.
“Why Job Was a Great Sufferer99
When [Job] says concerning the Lord, “For many bruises He has inflicted upon me
without a cause, ” observe that he does not say, “He has inflicted none with a cause;” but, "many
without a cause. ” For these many bruises were inflicted on him not because of his manifold sins,
but in order to examine his patience. Although he does acknowledge in another passage that he
certainly was not without sin [Job 6:2, 3], he thinks he should have suffered much less.
When he says, “For I have kept His ways, and have not turned aside from His
commandments, nor will I depart from them; ” [Job 23:11, 12] he has kept God’s ways who does
not so turn aside as to forsake them, but makes progress by running his course therein. Although
he is weak and sometimes stumbles or falls, however he still goes, sinning less and less until
he reaches the perfect state in which he will sin no more. For in no other way could he make
progress, except by keeping His ways. Truly, a man who declines from these and finally
becomes lost is certainly different than one who, although he has sin, never ceases to persevere
in fighting against it until he arrives at the home where there shall remain no more conflict with
death.
Now, it is in our present struggle that we are clothed with the righteousness in which we
here live by faith—clothed with it as it were with a breastplate. [Eph. 6:14] Judgment also we
take on ourselves; and even when it is against us, we turn it round to our own behalf; for we
become our own accusers and condemn our sins: whence that scripture which says, “The
righteous man accuses himself at the beginning o f his s p e e c h [Prov. 18:17] Hence, he also
says, “Ip u t on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgment like a mantle. ” [1 Cor. 15:26].
We currently should be dressed in armor for war rather than garments of peace, while evil desire
has still to be subdued; it will be different by and by, when our last enemy death shall be
destroyed, and our righteousness shall be full and complete, without an enemy to bother us
anymore.
St. Augustine316
316 St. Augustine, Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness, §§26, 27, NPNF, s. 1, v. 5
H o s e a 4 : 1-8
Hear the word of the L o r d , Y ou children of Israel, For the L or d brings a charge against the inhabitants of
the land:
“There is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land. 2By swearing and lying, Killing and stealing
and committing adultery, They break all restraint, With bloodshed upon bloodshed, th e refo re the land will mourn;
And everyone who dwells there will waste away With the beasts of the field And the birds of the air; Even the fish
of the sea will be taken away.
4”N ow let no man contend, or rebuke another; For your people are like those who contend with the priest.
5Therefore you shall stumble in the day; The prophet also shall stumble with you in the night; And I will destroy
your mother. 6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also
will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your
children.
7”The more they increased, The more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame.
8They eat up the sin of My people; They set their heart on their iniquity.
For if there were no poor, the greater part of your sins would not be removed. They are
the healers of your wounds, their hands are therapeutic to you. The physician, extending his hand
to apply a remedy, does not exercise the healing are more than the poor man, who stretches out
his hand to receive your alms, and thus becomes a cure for your ills. You give your money, and
with it your sins pass away. Such were the Priests of old, of whom it was said, “They eat up the
sin o f My people. ” [Hos. 4:8]. Thus you receive more than you gives, you benefit more than you
provide. You lend to God, not to men. You increase your wealth, rather than diminish it. But if
you do not lessen it by giving, then it is indeed diminished!
One says that Israel will be weak not forever but for days. For it has been reserved for
her a time of salvation and a return to faith.. .They used to sacrifice goats for sin; for this reason
the sacrifice was called sin. By offering a goat on t he altar, the priests at the right time used to
bring the intestines an the lard and they ate the rest. This was ordered by the divine law. [Lev.
3:3] ... “They eat the sins o f my people ” means they eat the offerings brought for sins.
St. Cyril of Alexandria 1
To demonstrate that God gives us over to a reprobate mind, He said, “Do not your
iniquities separate between Me and you?” [Is. 59:2]... and again, “They that go far away from
You shall perish. ” [Ps. 73:27]. Hosea also says, “You have forgotten the law o f your God, and I
will also forget you” [Hos. 4:6.]...He said these things to show that we begin the desertion, and
become the causes of our perdition. For God does desire to leave or to punish us, but even when
He punishes, He does it unwillingly.
What is the “sacrifice” that is offered “for sin” and is “very holy” except the Only
Begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ my Lord? He alone is the “sacrifice o f sins, ” and He is “a
very holy offering.” But since it added that “the priest who offers it will eat it, ” [Lev. 6:26] it
seems hard to understand. For that which it says must be eaten seems to be referring to the sin,
just as in another place the prophet says concerning the priests that “They will eat the sins o f My
317 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 14, 1 Timothy 5:8, NPNF, s. 1, v.13, p. 941.
318 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Hosea, 3.37, PG 71:120, 124; AACS OT v. 14, pp. 17, 18.
319 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, NPNF, s. 1, v.14, pp. 568-9.
Page 156
people ” This also shows that the priest should eat the sin of the one who is offering. We
frequently show from Holy Scripture that Christ is also the sacrifice that is offered of the sin of
the world and the priest who brings the offering.
H o m i l y of S t . S h e n o u d a the A r c h i m a n d r i t e
Let me inform you about two matters. Those for whom the heavens rejoiced because they repented their sin on
earth will not suffer sadness or pain the place they are destined to inherit. As for those whom heavens did not
rejoice for because they did not atone their sins and did not repent their iniquities on earth they will find neither joy
nor comfort in that place. Because those who revel in pleasures and delights will enjoy neither happiness nor
comfort in heavens.
Haven’t you heard His saying, “Blessed are those who mourn fo r they shall be comforted. ” Also those who do
not rejoice on earth shall rejoice in heavens or haven’t you read, “Woe to you who laugh now fo r you shall weep and
mourn ”1 Isn’t this the time when the meek is vested with power? And he who is not strong will say, “I am strong”
when he yields his heart to the Written Word.
As the prophet says, “Many are those who repeated adultery has weakened their bodies, and they shall be
weakened at heart as well.” As the Book says about hose, they will be devastated by their own profanity. As for
those who struggle with courage it was said about them, “hasten and straighten yourself to be a companion of God
undisgraced worker who preaches the Word of Truth.”
P s a lm 1I9?2, 6
2 Deliver me, O L o r d , from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. 6With them that hate peace I was peaceable;
when I spoke unto them, they warred against me without a cause.
J o h n 8 : 2 l~ 2 9
Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where
I go you cannot come.” 22So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot
come’?” 23And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this
world. 24Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in
your sins.” 25Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you
from the beginning. 26I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I
speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.” 27They did not understand that He spoke to them of the
Father. 28Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do
nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father
has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”
Why does He continually remind them of His Death?
Why does He say this continually? To shame and terrify their souls; for observe what fear
this saying caused in them. Although they desired to kill Him that they might be rid of Him, they
yet ask, “were is He going, ” such great things did they imagine from the matter. He desired also
to show them another thing, that the deed would not be effected through their force; but He
showed it to them in a figure beforehand, and already foretold the Resurrection by these words.
“Who are Worn?"
Oh folly! After so long a time, such signs and teaching, they ask, “Who are You?” What
does Christ say then? He says something like this; “You are not worthy to hear My words at all,
much less to learn who I am. For you say all that you do, tempting Me, and giving heed to none
320 The Scholar Origen, Homily 5.2 on Leviticus, FC v. 83, pp. 93-94; AACS OT v. 14, p. 18.
321 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, pp. 435-436
Page 157
of My sayings. And all this I could now prove against you.” For this is the sense of, “I have
many things to say and to judge concerning you”
“I could not only prove you guilty, but also punish you; but He that sent Me, that is, the
Father, wills not this. For I am come not to judge the world, but to save the world, since God sent
not His Son to judge the world, He says, but to save the world, (c. iii. 17.) If now He has sent Me
for this, and He is true, with good cause I judge no one now. But these things I speak that are for
your salvation, not what are for your condemnation.” He says this, lest they should deem that it
was through weakness that on hearing so much from them He went not to extremities, or that He
knew not their secret thoughts and scoffings.. .Oh folly! He ceased not to speak concerning Him,
and they knew Him not. Then when after working many signs, and teaching them, He drew them
not to Himself.
[Here He speaks] to them about the Cross.. .He shows that He rightly said, “the same that
I said unto you from the beginning. ” So little heed they gave to His words.
“ When you have lifted up the Son o f Man. ” “Do you not expect that you then shall
certainly rid yourselves of Me, and slay Me? But I tell you that then you shall most know that I
Am, by reason of the miracles, the resurrection, and the destruction (of Jerusalem).” For all these
things were sufficient to manifest His power.
He did not say, “Then you shall know who I am,” but He says “When you shall see that I
stiffer nothingfrom death, then you shall know that I Am, that is, the Christ, the Son o f God, Who
governs all things, and am not opposed to Him. ” Which is why He adds, “and o f Myself I speak
nothing. ” For you shall know both My power and My unity with the Father. Because the, “of
Myself I speak nothing, ” shows that His Substance is not different (from that of the Father), and
that He says nothing except that which is in the mind of the Father. “For when you have been
driven away from your place of worship, and it is not allowed you even to serve Him as such,
then you shall know that He does this to avenge Me, and because He is wroth with those who
would not hear Me.” As though He had said, “Had I been an enemy and a stranger to God, He
would not have stirred up such wrath against you.” This also Isaiah declares, “He shall give the
wicked in return for His burial ” (Isa. 53:9); and David, “Then shall He speak unto them in His
wrath ” (Ps. 2:5); and Christ Himself, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. ” (Matt.
23:38.) And His parables declare the same thing when He says, “What shall the Lord o f that
vineyard do to those vinedressers? He shall miserably destroy those wicked men. ” (Matt.
21:40,41.)
Prayer
Which path, O Lord, am I traveling on? The path that leads to life, or destruction? Am I
walking on a dark path, rejecting Your commandments, denying Your grace? Help me find my
Way in this world.
Do we fear God and have a soft heart that yields to Your love and that accepts Your
teachings?
Oh, how can I have a heart to accept the Holy One! Enlarge my heart, O Lord, so that I
may be able to taste more of Your love, so that I may taste the riches of the sweetness of Your
mercy.
THE THIRD HOl/R

T h e T ria ls o f G o d 's S e r v a n t s
Deu. 8:11-20 ; Sir. 2:1-9; 1 Ki. 19:9-14 ; Ps. 118:154-5; Mt. 23:37-24:2
In this hour, the Scriptures reveal to us the trials of the Servant of God, as compared to
the judgment and condemnation of the wicked. Both will suffer: the first, on earth but
temporarily and with perseverance; the second, eternally.
In Deuteronomy, the Lord reminds His people not to forget Him, who brought them out
of great trials and tribulations in the wilderness. He commands them to "remember the Lord
your God, ” and warns them that if they forget Him, they “will surely perish. ”
As mentioned in the book of Sirach (2:1), we also must prepare for trials and
tribulations, especially when we begin to serve the Lord. We should “cling to Him and do not
depart... accept whatever befalls you, and in times o f humiliation be patient. For gold is tested in
fire... ” Since clinging to worldly things will lead to destruction, we must cling to Christ alone.
This testing of fire was also mentioned in last hour’s reading of Job, and is symbolic of the
suffering on the Cross, which offered the aroma of Christ to the Father.
The passage from Kings tells of the tribulations which Elijah suffered from. We also
must be prepared for such trials and remain steadfast in the midst of persecution, difficulty and
tribulation. St. John Chrysostom compared Elijah’s trials to those of our Lord, the subject of the
gospel reading.
The psalm tells us of the plea for the righteous man in the midst of tribulations who calls
upon the promise of God to save him. However, the wicked will be far from such salvation.
This hour’s gospel reminds us of the hour of tribulation which our Lord endured by the
Pharisees. Christ our Lord promises here the coming destruction of Jerusalem, for they did not
heed the warnings the Lord gave them, as in the book of Deuteronomy and Sirach. This passage
is also read in the Eastern Orthodox Churches on Holy Tuesday
As the exposition explains, the above prophesy declared by our Lord was fulfilled “forty
years after the ascension of our Lord” when the Romans devastated the city.
D e u t e r o n o m y 8:il~20
’’Beware that you do not forget the L or d your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and
His statutes which I command you today, 12lest-when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses
and dwell in them; 13and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied,
and all that you have is multiplied; 14when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lor d your God who brought
you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15who led you through that great and terrible
wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who
brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers
did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the en d - 17then you
say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ 18And you shall remember the
L or d your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore
to your fathers, as it is this day. 19Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the L ord your God, and follow other
gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20As the nations
which the L o r d destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the
L or d your God.
This passage reminds us how important it is to remain with God. For out of the Love of
God, He may prevent us from large homes, great possessions. Instead we are. reminded how it
was the Lord’s gift and good pleasure to send His people through the wilderness for forty years
Page 159
only to demonstrate His great love and care for them. It was in the desert that they would truly
experience God as the “Good Provider.” Hoping that we will not fall in the sin of pride and self-
righteousness, He warns us not to say, “My power and the might o f my hand have gained me this
wealth ” (v. 17). Included as well are the symbols of our Lord in this one passage, the Lord on
the Cross as the Brazen Serpent which brought life to the Israelites; the Lord as the Living water
who emerged when Moses hit the rock; and the Bread which came down from heaven. These
symbols will be discussed later, especially on Great Friday.
S ir a c 2 :1 -9
My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing.2 Set your heart right and be
steadfast, and do not be impetuous in time of calamity.3 Cling to Him and do not depart, so that your last days may
be prosperous. 4Accept whatever befalls you, and in times of humiliation be patient.5For gold is tested in the fire,
and those found acceptable, in the furnace of humiliation.6 Trust in Him, and He will help you; make your ways
straight, and hope in H im .7You who fear the Lord, wait for His mercy; do not stray, or else you may fall.8You who
fear the Lord, trust in Him, and your reward will not be lost.9 You who fear the Lord, hope for good things, for
lasting joy and mercy.
“Ifyou serve the Lord God, prepare your souls for temptation....” Those who build upon
the foundation of Christ—not gold, silver, and precious stones—but wood, hay, and stubble shall
be saved by fire, the merit of the foundation saving them. This must be so interpreted as not to
conflict with the plain statements quoted above. Wood, hay, and stubble may symbolize the
attachment to worldly things.. .And though this grief burns. Yet if Christ holds the place of
foundation in the heart—that is, if nothing is preferred to Him and if the man, though burning
with grief, is more willing to lose the things he loves so much than to lose Christ—he is saved
by fire. If in time of temptation he prefers to hold to temporal and earthly things rather than to
Christ, he does not have Christ as his foundation because He puts earthly things first. But in a
building nothing comes before the foundation.
The fire spoken her by the apostle is one that both men are made to pass through—the
man who builds on gold, silver, precious stones; and the man who builds wood, hay, stubble. For
he immediately adds: “The fire will test each one's work, o f what sort it is. I f anyone's work
which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. I f anyone's work is burned, he will
suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. [1 Cor. 3:13-15]
The fire then shall prove, not the work of one of them only, but of both. Now the trial of
adversity is a kind of fire which is plainly spoken of in another place: “The furnace proverb the
potter's vessels: and the furnace o f adversity just men. " [Eccl. 27:5, 2:5] And this fire does in the
course of this life act exactly in the way the apostle says. If it come into contact with two
believers, one “caring for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord, ” [1
Cor. 7:32] that is, building upon Christ the foundation, gold, silver, precious stones; the other
“caring for the things that are o f the world, how he may please his wife, ” [1 Cor. 7:33] that is,
building upon the same foundation wood, hay, stubble—the work of the former is not burned,
because he has not given his love to things whose loss can cause him grief; but the work of the
latter is burned, because things that are enjoyed with desire cannot be lost without pain. But
since... even if the latter prefers to lose these things rather than to lose Christ, and since he does
not desert Christ out of fear of losing them, though he is grieved when he does lose them he is
saved, but it is so as by fire. For the grief for what he loved and has lost bums him. It does not
subvert nor consume him; for he is protected by his immoveable and incorruptible foundation.
St. Augustine323
323 St. Augustine, The Enchiridion, Ch. 86, NPNF, s. 1, v. 3.
Page 160
I K i n g s 19 *9 ~ 14
And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the L ord came to
him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?’ 10So he said, “I have been very zealous for the L ord
God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, tom down Your altars, and killed Your
prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the L o r d .” And behold, the L ord passed by,
and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lo r d , but the L ord
was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the L or d was not in the earthquake; 12and after the
earthquake a fire, but the L ord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13So it was, when Elijah
heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice
came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14And he said, “I have been very zealous for the L ord
God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, tom down Your altars, and killed Your
prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
When God asks Elijah where He is, he replies: “I have been very zealous for the Lord
God o f hosts; for the children o f Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and
killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life. ” This
experience of Elijah prophesies about the exact same persecution and trial that would be
experienced by the Messiah. He even declares this in the gospel of this hour that Jerusalem
seeks to kill the prophets.
St. John Chrysostom links the two characters of our Lord and Elijah: “Lord, your
prophets they have killed, your altars they have dug down, and I am left alone, and they seek my
life.” [1 Ki. 19:10]. Yet were not those (who were so persecuted) disturbing any of the
established rules. Tell me then, what ground had men for attending to these of whom we are
speaking? For, on one hand, they were meaner persons than any of the prophets; on the other,
they were introducing just such novelties as had caused the Jews to nail even their Master to the
Cross.324
P salm H 8 a i 5 4 ~ l 5 5 .
154 Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to Your promise.155 Salvation is far from the
wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes.
This psalm speaks of the prayer of one who is enduring tribulations. When we read this
passage with the verse prior this point is clarified: “Consider my affliction and deliver me. Plead
my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word. Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do notseek Your statutes.” (Ps. 118:153-155).
We can understand this verse from the other, “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled;
and he who humbles himself shall be exalted. ” [Matt. 23:12; Lk. 14:11]. These words are the law
of God, which [the Psalmist] has not forgotten. Therefore, he abased himself so that he could be
exalted. The words, “Revive me,” pertain to this very exaltation; for the exaltation of the saints is
everlasting life. Salvation then is separated from the wicked, because they have not regarded the
righteousness of God. But the Psalmist just declared a little earlier that “I will keep your
righteousness. ” You therefore have received from Him, unto Whom you called, the power to
keep them. He therefore separates you from the wicked because they have not regarded the
righteousness of God.
St. Augustine325
324 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on First Corinthians, NPNF, s. 1, v.12, p. 77.
325 St. Augustine, Commentary on the Psalms, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8, p. 1267. (edited)
Page 161
Matthew 2 3 ? 3 f - 2 4 : 2
The Holy Pascha
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How
often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were
not willing! 38See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say,
4Blessed is He who comes in the name o f the LORD!
24:1Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the
buildings of the temple. 2And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one
stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
This repetition is the manner of one pitying her and bemoaning her, and greatly loving
her. For, like as unto a woman beloved, herself indeed ever loved, but who had despised Him
that loved her, and therefore on the point of being punished, He pleads, being now about to
inflict the punishment. Which He does in the prophets also, using these words, “I said, Turn to
me, and she returned not. ”
Actually, we are the Jerusalem that Jesus wept over. After we came to know the
mysteries of the Truth, the words of the Gospel, and the teachings of the Church; and after we
have seen the mysteries of the Lord, we still commit sins! The Lord wept over our Jerusalem
due to its sin, for the enemies besiege it, and ruin its buildings iii it, and they leave no stone one
on top of the other...
[Our Lord] does not say, “I leave your house desolate,” but, it “is left. ” He said it
impersonally. But by saying, “How often would I have gathered your children together...and
you would not, ” and then adding, “is left,” He shows that He wrought the desolation...
Without using a parable, the Lord said to Jerusalem, ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who
kills the prophets...” This was said in the parable, “Behold, for three years I come seeking fruit, ”
and in clear terms [where He says], “How often would I have gathered your children together. ”
[We will be found] in falsehood if we do not understand His advent, which is [announced] by the
prophets — if, in fact, He came to them but once, and then for the first time. But since He who
chose the patriarchs and those [who lived under the first covenant], is the same Word of God
who did both visit them through the prophetic Spirit, and us also who have been called together
from all quarters by His advent; in addition to what has been already said, He truly declared,
“Many shall come from the east and from the west, and shall recline with Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob, in the kingdom o f heaven. But the children o f the kingdom shall go into outer
darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing o f teeth. ” If, then, those who do believe in Him
through the preaching of His apostles throughout the east and west shall recline with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven, partaking with them of the [heavenly] banquet, one
and the same God is set forth as He who did indeed choose the patriarchs, visited also the people,
and called the Gentiles.
St. Irenaeus329
326 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v, 10, p. 943.

327 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, ANF, v. 10.
328 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, NPNF, s. 1, v.14, pp. 435-436
329 St. Irenaeus, Against the Heresies, Book 4, Ch. 36, ANF, v. 1, pp. 1068-9.
Page 162
THE SIXTH HOl/R

R e b e llio n a n d J u d g m e n t
Ezek. 21:3-13; Sir. 4:23-5:2; Is. 1:1-9; Ps. 17:48,17; John 8:12-20
As discussed in the introduction, the next two hours focus more on the condemnation of
the wicked. We first hear about the Sword of the Lord in the Book of Ezekiel, which the Lord
warns the wicked sternly that He will bring His sword and separate the righteous from the
wicked.
This is then briefly contrasted with the perseverance needed by the righteous, who must
“fight to the death for truth ” mentioned in the reading of Sirach.
In the prophesy in Isaiah, the Lord again condemns the Israelites for their rebellion
against Him. He refers to the people Israel as “the daughter o f Zion. ” Because of her great
wickedness, Israel, the virgin daughter and cherished bride that became left alone and deserted.
330 As Origen says, “I assume that the husband (God) has written the certificate of divorce for
His ex-bride, placed it into her hand, and drove her out of His house.” 331
As explained by St. John Chrysostom, the gospel reading (esp. John 8:19) is directly
related to Isaiah 1:3-for Israel in both generations did not know the Father. Isaiah explained that
the people of Israel did not know God; while the Lord explains that the same nation could not
recognize Him as the Only-Begotten of the Father.332 Therefore, we read that there will be a
separation between the sons of Light and those of darkness, for as He says, “I judge no man...yet
if Ijudge My judgment is true. ”
E z e k i e l 2 1*3- »13
‘Thus says the L o r d : “Behold, I am against you, and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut
off both righteous and wicked from you. 4Because I will cut off both righteous and wicked from you, therefore
My sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north, 5that all flesh may know that I, the L o r d ,
have drawn My sword out of its sheath; it shall not return anymore.” ‘ 6Sigh therefore, son of man, with a breaking
heart, and sigh with bitterness before their eyes. 7And it shall be when they say to you, ‘Why are you sighing?’ that
you shall answer, ‘Because of the news; when it comes, every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit
will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming and shall be brought to pass,’ says the Lord
G o d .”
8 A gain the word of the L o r d came to me, saying, 9”Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the L o r d !’
Say: ‘A sword, a sword is sharpened And also polished! 10Sharpened to make a dreadful slaughter, Polished to flash
like lightning! Should we then make mirth? It despises the scepter of My Son, As it does all wood. 11And He has
given it to be polished, That it may be handled; This sword is sharpened, and it is polished To be given into the hand
of the slayer.’
12”Cry and wail, son of man; For it will be against My people, Against all the princes of Israel. Terrors
including the sword will be against My people; Therefore strike your thigh.
13’’Because it is a testing, And what if the sword despises even the scepter? The scepter shall be no more, ”
says the Lord God.
What is the Meaning a f the Sward?
This does not mean that He will kill both of them without discernment; But He will set
aside the righteous, to transfer him to the land of the Chaldeans; like the good figs (Jeremiah 24);
and will cut off the wicked, by having him killed in Judah; Thus the land would lose the two of
330 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Patristic Commentary on Isaiah, pp. 48-49.

331 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, Book 14:19, ANF, v. 10.
332 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 410.
Page 163
them through captivation and the sword. The Lord has clarified His position concerning the good
The Holy Pascha
figs in the Book of Jeremiah as such: “Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are
carried away captive from Judas, whom I have sent out o f this place for their own good, into the
land o f the Chaldeans. For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this
land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them out..
Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I
will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart ” (Jer. 24:5-7). So although
He would cut off both the good and the bad figs from Jerusalem; but He will discern between
this and that...
It is to be noticed that, while it is a sharpened sword, to slay the wicked; but, for the
children of God, it is a rod of chastisement, to cut off in them the green branch (the pagan
worship), and not their souls; describing it as: “The scepter o f My Son despises all sticks” (Ez.
21:10); and not all souls. It is coming to cut off evil and sin; and not the sinners. It is a “testing
sword’ (Ez. 21:13); if someone despises it, he shall be no more; But if someone turns from his
evil; he shall be saved.
S i r a c h 4 *. 2 3 ~ 5 : 2
23 Do not refrain from speaking at the proper moment, and do not hide your wisdom.24For wisdom becomes
known through speech, and education through the words of the tongue. Never speak against the truth, but be
ashamed of your ignorance.26 Do not be ashamed to confess your sins, and do not try to j stop the current of a
riyer.27Do not subject yourself to a fool, or show partiality to a ruler.28Fight to the deathTor truth, and the Lord (rod
will fight for you.29 Do not be reckless in your speech, or sluggish and remiss in your deeds.30 Do not be like a lion
in your home, or suspicious of your servants.31Do not let your hand be stretched out to receive and closed when it is
time to give.
5 Do not rely on your wealth, or say, “I have enough.” 2Do not follow your inclination and strength in pursuing the
desires of your heart. K pep > j m /■
This prophesy emphasizes the importance of the narrow road, as affirmed by the Lord
Himself the night before—for the sake of attaining eternal life.
Fr. Pishoy Kamel334
Isaiah lsl-9
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah,
Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2H ear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! F o r the L ord has spoken: 441 have nourished and brought up
children, And they have rebelled against Me; 3The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But
Israel does not know, My people do not consider.”
4Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They
have forsaken the L o r d , They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away
backward.
5Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole
heart faints. 6From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and
putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment.
7Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence;
And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, As a hut
in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city. 9Unless the L or d of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We
would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah.
When the Pharisees prosecuted our Lord and Savior, He wept for their coming
333 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Patristic Commentary on Ezekiel, p. 140.

334 Fr. Pishoy Kamel, JTG, p. 39.
Page 164
f The Holy Pascha
destruction. They mistreated Him; yet, He did not do the same to them, not even under threat;
and not even when they killed Him. On the contrary, He felt sorry for their behavior... All these
things were actually written before their eyes in the Holy Scripture; as Isaiah prophesied: “/ have
nourished and brought up children, and they rebelled against M e ” (Is. 1:2) They are no longer
the people of God, nor a holy nation, but have become: “Rulers o f Sodom... and people o f
Gomorrah.” (Is. 1:10) They even surpassed the transgressions of Sodom, as the prophet
prophesied: “Neither... Sodom, nor... (Gomorrah) have done as you... have done. ” (Ez. 16: 48)
The people of Sodom opposed angels; but those people attacked God, Lord of all, and their King.
They killed the King of angels; not realizing that Christ they killed is still living up to this day.
St. Athanasius the Apostolic335
[Here, Isaiah] shows that the code of law is not unsupportable, and what He claims from
men does not surpass the measure applied to animals: even the most foolish of them know to
acquit themselves easily. Someone will say to them that such a thing they know by instinct.
Well and good! What nature has caused them to execute correctly, our free will can make us
accomplish. The evil is more serious when the closest friends, replete with such honors, and all
together, pass into the camp of perverseness...
P sa lm 1?:48, n
48 O My deliver from my enemies; indeed, You exalted me above my adversaries; You delivered me from
the unrighteous m a n .17He delivered me from my strong enemies, and from those who hated me; for they were too
mighty for me.
St. Augustine explains these verses as the prophesy of those Jews who rose up against our
Lord, and cried out “Crucify Him, crucify Him. ” As He states, “From the Jews that rise up
against Me in My passion, You will exalt Me in My resurrection.” For in such manner, God will
deliver Christ from death and evil that attempt to rule over Him.337
CsKjrJ ^)(JI
J ohn Sh 1 2 - 2 0
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk
in darkness, but have the light of life.”
13The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.” 14Jesus ■fvy*. c (
answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and d
where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15You judge according to the ClmVi
flesh; I judge no one: 16And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who
sent Me. 17It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 18I am One who bears witness of
Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.” 19Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus
answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”
20These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His
hour had not yet come.
“Jam the Light of ike WwMn

“Now this word “I am” expresses His eternal subsistence. For if He is the reflection of
the eternal light, He must also be eternal Himself. For if the light subsists for ever, it is evident
that the reflection also subsists for ever. And that this light subsists, is known only by its shining;
335 St. Athanasius, Eighth Paschal Letter, NPNF, s. 2, v. 4.

336 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Isaiah; Isaiah Through the Ages, p. 7.
337 St. Augustine, Commentary on the Psalms, NPNF, s.l, v.8, p. 126.
Page 165
neither can there be a light that does not give light. We come back, therefore, to our illustrations.
If there is day, there is light; and if there is no such thing, the sun certainly cannot be present. If,
therefore, the sun had been eternal, there would also have been endless day. Now, however, as it
is not so, the day begins when the sun rises, and it ends when the sun sets. But God is eternal
light, having neither beginning nor end. And along with Him there is the reflection, also without
beginning, and everlasting. The Father, then, being eternal, the Son is also eternal, being light of
light; and if God is the light, Christ is the reflection; and if God is also a Spirit, as it is written,
“God is a Spirit,” Christ, again, is called analogously Spirit.”
St. Dionysius338
Therefore listen to the Voice of God, which sounds so exceeding clearly to me, who am
both disciple and master of these mysteries, as would to God it may sound to you; “I am The
Light o f the World. ” Therefore approach Him and be enlightened. Do not let your faces be
ashamed being signed with the true Light. It is a season of new birth, let us be bom again. It is a
time of reform, let us receive again the first Adam. Let us not remain what we are, but let us
become what we once were. The Light shines In darkness, in this life and in the flesh, and is
chased by the darkness, but is not overtaken by it: — I mean the adverse power leaping up in its
shamelessness against the visible Adam, but encountering God and being defeated; — in order
that we, putting away the darkness, may 686 draw near to the Light, and may then become
perfect Light, the children of perfect Light. See the grace of this Day; see the power of this
mystery. Are you not lifted up from the earth? Are you not clearly placed on high, being exalted
by our voice and meditation? and you will be placed much higher when the Word shall have
prospered the course of my words.
Not a Physical Light
I think that what the Lord says, (T am the light o f the world' ” is clear to those that hav
eyes, by which they are made partakers of this light. But those who only have fleshy eyes
wonder at what is said. Maybe some even question that the perhaps the Lord Christ is that sun
which by its rising and setting causes the day. For many heretics thought this. The Manicheans
believed that the Lord Christ is that sun which is visible to carnal eyes, exposed and public to be
seen, not only by men, but by the beasts. But the right faith of the Catholic Church rejects such a
fiction, and perceives it to be a devilish doctrine: not only by believing acknowledges it to be
such, but in the case of whom it can, proves it even by reasoning. Let us therefore reject this kind
of error, which the Holy Church has anathematized from the beginning. Let us not suppose that
the Lord Jesus Christ is this sun which we see rising from the east, setting in the west; to whose
course succeeds night, whose rays are obscured by a cloud, which removes from place to place
by a set motion: the Lord Christ is not such a thing as this. The Lord Christ is not the sun that
was made, but He by whom the sun was made. For “all things were made by Him, and without
Him was nothing made.”
St. Augustine340
338 St. Dionysius, ANF, v. 6, p. 260.

339 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 39, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 685.
340 St. Augustine, The Gospel of John, Tractate 34, NPNF, s.l, v. 7, p. 402.
Page 166
*7judge no man„*yetifljudge My judgment is true."

Those who think they see, and do not seek the physician, may abide in their blindness.
Such discerning therefore of one from another He called judgment, when He said, Tor judgment
I have come into this world, ' whereby He distinguishes the cause of those who believe and make
confession from the proud, who think they see, and are therefore the more grievously blinded:
just as the sinner, making confession, and seeking the physician, said to Him, ‘Judge me, O God,
and discern my cause against the unholy nation, ’ — namely, those who say, 4We see, ’ and their
sin remains. But it was not that judgment He now brought into the world, whereby in the end of
the world He shall judge the living and the dead. For in respect to this He had said, 7 judge no
man; ’ seeing that He came the first time, ‘not to judge the world, but that the world through Him
might be saved.
St. Augustine341
He means, ‘You judge unjustly.’ Someone might say ‘If we judge unjustly, why don’t
You rebuke us? Why don’t You punish us? Why don’t You condemn us?’ ‘Because,’ He says, ‘I
did not come for this. ’ This is the meaning of, 7 judge no man; yet if I judge, My judgment is
true. ’ ‘For had I been willing to judge, you would have been among the condemned. And this I
say, not judging you. Yet neither do I tell you that I say it, not judging you, as though I were not
confident that had I judged you, I should have convicted you; since if I had judged you, I must
justly have condemned you. But now the time of judgment is not yet.’ He alluded also to the
judgment to come, saying, 7 am not alone, but I and the Father that sent Me. ’ Here He hinted,
that not He alone condemns them, but the Father also. Then He concealed this, by leading them
to His own testimony.
Why does He mention the Father here?
He speaks here in reply to their thoughts. ‘The judgment which is My is the judgment of
the Father. The Father, judging, would not judge otherwise than as I do, and I should not judge
otherwise than as the Father.’ Wherefore did He mention the Father? Because they would not
have thought that the Son was to be believed unless He received the witness of the Father.
Besides, the saying does not even hold good. For in the case of men when two bear witness in a
matter pertaining to another, then their witness is true, (this is for two to witness,) but if one
should witness for himself, then they are no longer two. Notice that He said this for nothing else
but to show that He was of the same Substance, that He needed no other witness, and was in
nothing inferior to the Father? Observe at least His independence; 7 am One that bear witness o f
Myself; and the Father that sent Me bears witness o f Me. ’ (v. 18) Had He been of inferior
substance, He would not have put this. But now that you may not deem that the Father is
included, to make up the number (of two), observe that His power has nothing different (from the
Father’s).
341 St. Augustine, The Gospel of John, Tractate 44, NPNF, s.l, v. 7, p. 500.
342 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 53 on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 428.
343 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 53 on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, pp. 429- 430.
Page 167
Why did!Hespeak thisin the'treasury? His time hadnot yet come
Oh the folly of the Jews! seeking Him as they did before the Passover, and then having
found Him in the midst of them, and having often attempted to take Him by their own or by
others’ hands without being able; they were not even so awed by His power, but set themselves
to their wickedness, and desisted not. For it says, that they continually made the attempt; ‘These
words spoke He in the treasury, teaching in the Temple; and no man laid hands on Him. ’ He
spoke in the Temple, and in the character of teacher, which was more adapted to rouse them, and
He spoke those things because of which they were stung, and charged Him with making Himself
equal to the Father. For ‘the witness o f two men is true, ’ proves this. Yet still He spoke these
words, ’ It says, ‘in the Temple, ’ in the character of teacher, ‘and no man laid hands on Him, for
His hour was not yet come. ’ That is, it was not yet the fitting time at which He would be
crucified. So that even then the deed done was not of their power, but of His dispensation, for
they had long desired, but had not been able, nor would they even then have been able, except
He had consented.
344 St. John Chrysostom, Homily LIII on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 433.
Page 168
T he N inth H o i / r
T he W orship o f the Righteous; The J i7dgmentof the W icked
Gen. 6:5-9:7, Prov. 9:1-11, Is. 40:9-30, Dan. 7:9-15; Ps. 24:1-3 Matt. 24:3-35
This hour, as well as the eleventh hour, reminds us to be prepared for the Second Coming
of our Lord. However this hour focuses more on preparing ourselves for that Second Coming
with repentance and the Sacraments; while the eleventh hour focuses on the judgment of our
Lord while sitting on the Throne of Glory.
Thus, the readings represent visions of God throughout the Old Testament. In Genesis,
we see read of the corruption of man, the righteousness and worship of Noah’s family, as well as
the judgment of both through the prophesy of the Second Coming in the Great Flood. We, too
must build our altar as Noah did. We see in this passage in Genesis, the destruction of the earth
because of its sin against God.
Next, we read in Proverbs of the House of Wisdom, which represents the Incarnation
and Crucifixion of our Lord, as explained by the Church fathers. The Lord offers us salvation
and the sacraments of His church through wonderful symbolism.
Then passages from Isaiah and Daniel are read, which explain two prophetic visions of
the Second Coming. Both prophets see God sitting on His Throne, arrayed in majesty.
The Prophesy of Isaiah also discusses the grim fate of the unbelievers—those who lack
faith in God and assume He is unreachable and uncaring.
The prophesy of Daniel is directly linked to the gospel, since in the gospel reading our
Lord refers to “the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet.” Thus, there is a
clear link between these readings regarding the Second Coming. The gospel reading also points
to the Lord’s crucifixion, of which He said “wherever the carcass is there the eagles will be
gathered together, ” (Mat. 24:28). He called His body a carcass signifying that those righteous
men who soar like eagles will be drawn to Him through His death.
Later, included is a homily of St. Shenouda the Archimandrite, though not included in
many English editions of the Holy Pascha.
Finally, the exposition reminds us to “persevere so [we] may be saved.”
G e n e s i s 6 : § :7
Then the L o r d saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts
of his heart was only evil continually. 6And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was
grieved in His heart. 7So the L ord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both
man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8But Noah found grace in
the eyes of the L o r d .
9This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.
10And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12So God looked upon the
earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13And God said to Noah, “The
end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy
them with the earth.
14”Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.
15And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its
height thirty cubits. 16You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the
door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17And behold, I Myself am
bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything
that is on the earth shall die. 18But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your
Page 169
sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every
sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20O f the birds after their kind, of
animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to
keep them alive. 21And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it
shall be food for you and for them.”
22Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.
7:1Then the L o r d said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that
you are righteous before Me in this generation. 2You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male
and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; 3also seven each of birds of the air,
male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. 4For after seven more days I will cause it to
rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have
made.” 5And Noah did according to all that the L o r d commanded him. 6Noah was six hundred years old when the
floodwaters were on the earth.
7So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood.
8Of clean animals, of animals that are unclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, 9two by two they
went into the ark to Noah, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. 10And it came to pass after seven days
that the waters of the flood were on the earth. llIn the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the
seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of
heaven were opened. 12And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.
13On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three
wives of his sons with them, entered the ark— 14they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every
creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. 15And
they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. 16So those that entered, male
and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the L o r d shut him in.
17N ow the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high
above the earth. 18The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface
of the waters. 19And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven
were covered. 20The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. 21And all flesh died
that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man.
22All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. 23So He destroyed all
living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They
were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. 24And the waters
prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.
8:1Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark.
And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2The fountains of the deep and the windows
of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. 3And the waters receded continually from the
earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. 4Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the
seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. 5And the waters decreased continually until the tenth
month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.
6So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made.
7Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. 8He also sent out
from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. 9But the dove found no resting
place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth.
So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. 10And he waited yet another seven days,
and again he sent the dove out from the ark. 11Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly
plucked olwe ig if was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 12So he waited yet
another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.
13 And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the
waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface
of the ground was dry. 14And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried.
15Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 16”Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’
wives with you. 17Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every
creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the
Page 170
earth.” 18So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19Every animal, every creeping
thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark.
20Then Noah built an altar to the L o r d , and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered
burnt offerings on the altar. 21And the L o r d smelled a soothing aroma. Then the L o r d said in His heart, “I will
never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will
I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
22”While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night
Shall not cease.”
9:1So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2And
the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on
the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. 3Every moving thing that lives shall be food
for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. 4But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its
blood. 5Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from
the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man.
6”Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.
7And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; Bring forth abundantly in the earth And multiply in it.”
This passage fits in the main theme of this day, focusing on the corruption of man.
Between the verses 5 and 13 of this chapter, the word “earth” is repeated 7 times in order to
demonstrate how man became corrupted through the focus on the things of the earth. In order for
us not to think that the material of the earth, or what it carried of resources and fruits...etc. had
been corrupted, He explained that “all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth, ” namely, that
the corruption of man had distorted all the irrational creatures.
After the flood, Noah builds an altar, a symbol of the Sacraments and offering of
thanksgiving to God. Though the flood is a symbol of the baptism; the offering of thanksgiving
upon the altar, is a symbol of the Liturgy. This was the first time the word “altar ” is mentioned
in the Bible. (Gen. 8:20). This pleased God, so that He promised not to repeat this disaster upon
the earth.
The Ark—A Symbol of the Church
Those who were within were saved; those outside will perish.
St. Cyprian345
And at the same time if the ark had many compartments and little chambers, and was
made with second and third stories, and was filled with different beasts, and was furnished with
dwellings, great or small, according to the kind of animal, I think all this diversity in the
compartments was a figure of the manifold character of the Church.
St. Jerome 346
The Ark—A Symbol of Baptism
The ark also is a symbol of bapistm, as mentioned in the Holy Bible: “When once the
longsuffering o f God waited in the days o f Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a
few, that is, eight souls were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us,
345 St. Cyprian, Epistle 75, ANF, v. 5, pp. 852-3, 860,.

346 St. Jerome, Against Jovinianus, NPNF, s. 2, v. 6, p. 777.
Page 171
Wnm
namely baptism (not the removal offilth o f the flesh, but the answer o f a good conscience toward
God) through the resurrection o f Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3: 20, 21)
Similarly, the fathers explained that as the eight souls were saved by water, so we shall be
saved through on the eighth day,347 the same day the Lord rose from the dead.348
For the above reasons, references of the ark and this passage are included in the baptismal
prayers and the Holy Lakkan services. However, these do not explain why the passage is read
during the Holy Pascha Week. The answer likes in the third symbol of the Ark...
The Ark—A Symbol o f the Cross
For Christ, being the first-born of every creature, became again the Chief of another race
regenerated by Himself through water, and faith, and wood, containing the mystery of the
Cross—even as Noah was saved by wood when he rode over the waters with his
household.. .Those who are prepared by water, faith, and wood, and who repent of the sins which
they have committed shall escape from the impending judgment of God.
We say, moreover, that that was a sign of the Cross. And the ark was a symbol of the
Christ who was expected. For that ark was the means of the salvation of Noah and his sons, and
also of the cattle, the wild beasts, and the birds. And Christ, too, when He suffered on the cross,
delivered us from accusations and sins, and washed us in His own blood most pure. And just as
the ark returned to the east, and neared Mount Kardu, so also Christ, when the work was
accomplished and finished which He had proposed to Himself, returned to heaven to the bosom
of His Father, and sat down upon the throne of His glory at the Father’s right hand.
St. Hippolytus350
The Great Flood was a symbol of the true work of renewal of the human nature and the
ark was a symbol of the Cross that carried Christ nailed for our sake, carrying in Him the
Church, which is His Holy body. The old world (the ancient man) had to be destroyed in the
water of Baptism, so that the new world (the new man that had been made in the image of its
Creator) would be set to carry the newness of life, or that life raised from the dead in Christ Jesus
(Romans 6:3, 4). It is as though the Great Flood, as a symbol of Baptism, separates between the
old life of darkness, and the life shining with the light of the Resurrection of the Lord Christ
Jesus.
But why is it included in Holy Tuesday, while we are speaking of the judgment of the
righteous and the wicked? If it were a symbol only of the Cross, it should be most appropriate to
read this passage in the Holy Lakkan service on Holy Thursday. However, there is another
symbol of the Ark which is most appropriate for this hour...
347 St. Cyprian, Epistle 73, ANF, v. 5, pp. 843.

348 St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue, Ch. 138, ANF, v. 1, p. 549.
349 Ibid.
350 St. Cyprian, Epistle 73, ANF, v. 5, pp. 416-7.
351 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Patristic Commentary on Genesis, pp. 71-72.
Page 172
The Ark—.A Symbol ofRepentance
As explained above, the eight people in the ark that were saved symbolized the day of
Resurrection and the day of the Second Coming. Thus, the ark symbolized repentance. As we
were washed with the waters of Baptism and cleansed, we are cleansed once again with the
Sacrament of Repentance and Confession.
The Fathers called confession the second Baptism. As the old man was destroyed in
baptism and renewed, so too man is renewed through the waters of repentance. As the fathers
explain:
In the Great Flood...all people died, except for Noah and his family...So, the outer man
perished, while the inner one is renewed. This does not only happen in the water of Baptism, but
also by repentance, when the lusts of the flesh perish, and the Spirit grows...You see water,
wood352 [v 6:14], and a dove! Do not get confused! In the water, the body is emerged to get all
its sins cleansed, and all its evil buried. On the wood, the Lord has been nailed as He suffered for
our sake. And in the appearance of a dove, the Holy Spirit descended, as we read in the New
Testament. He who grants peace to your soul and mind and the raven is a symbol of sin that goes
not to return, as righteousness is kept in you inside and outside.”
St. Ambrose353
How can God “repent* (KJV) “regret* (NAB) or be “sorry* (NKJV, NRSV, RSV) for creating
man?
The above verse must be understood that the Lord cannot “repent ” as indicated by KJV,
because the Lord has no sin. Nor can He “regret ” as explained in the New American Bible. For
as St. Augustine explains: “The unchangeable (God), changes things, and does not regret - like
man, anything He did; as His decision in every thing is steadfast, and His knowledge of the
future is a sure thing...”
But the actual meaning of the word refers to grief or displeasure. The two Hebrew verbs
used in this chapter relating to God here are nacham—which means to sigh, breathe strongly, or
to be sorry—and 'atsab which means to worry, pain or anger.354 Therefore, together we can
understand that the Lord was grieved or displeased because He made man and comforted
Himself. Thus the KJV states after erroneously saying that the Lord repented, that this “grieved
Him at his heart ” However, we cannot understand this sorrow or grief as reactions of anger.
Then why is such language used in the first place? Since the Bible is directed to us as
humans, it is mentioned in this way for us to understand and comprehend the bitterness of sin in
itself, and the impossibility of fellowship between the divine Holiness and the human corruption.
This is the cause of His sorrow and distress.355 As St. Augustine explains...
The wrath of God is not a reaction that could disturb the clarity of His mind, but it is
rather a verdict through which sin will be condemned...The anger of God is not a disturbing
emotion of His mind, but a judgment by which punishment is inflicted upon sin. His thought and
352 In 6:14, the Lord tells Moses to make the ark out of “gopher wood” and pitch.
353 St. Ambrose, The Book Concerning the Mysteries, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10.
354 Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance.
355 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Patristic Commentary on Genesis, p.71
Page 173
reconsideration also are the unchangeable reason which changes things; for He does not, like
man, repent of anything He has done, because in all matters His decision is as inflexible as His
prescience is certain. But if Scripture were not to use such expressions as the above, it would not
familiarly insinuate itself into the minds of all classes of men, whom it seeks access to for their
good, that it may alarm the proud, arouse the careless, exercise the inquisitive, and satisfy the
intelligent; and this it could not do, did it not first stoop, and in a manner descend, to them where
they lie. But its denouncing death on all the animals of earth and air is a declaration of the
vastness of the disaster that was approaching: not that it threatens destruction to the irrational
animals as if they too had incurred it by sin.
St. Augustine356
Thus St. Augustine sees in God’s proclamation that He was sorry that He had created
man, a way of modestly addressing us in our own language, in order to realize how far it became
impossible to keep our fellowship with God, the source of our life, not because of a change of
God’s heart toward us, but because of our own change, through accepting the corruption which is
foreign to God. As to His threatening to destroy all animal and bird life, that was out of His
supreme love, in the hope that we would reconsider our situation, and would appreciate its
seriousness.
P r o v e rb s Shl-ll
Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; 2She has slaughtered her meat, She
has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table. 3She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the
highest places of the city, 4”Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As fo r him who lacks understanding, she says
to him, 5”Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed. 6Forsake foolishness and live, And go in
the way of understanding.
7”He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
8D o not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. 9Give instruction to a wise
man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
10”The fear of the L o r d is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One ûnderstanding.
1!For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.
Christ, the Wisdom and Power of God the Father, has built His house, His nature in the
flesh derived from the Virgin, as John said beforetime, “The Word became flesh, and dwelt
among us ” and the wise prophet testifies: Wisdom that was before the world, and is the source o f
life, the infinite. “Wisdom of God, has built her house ” by a mother who knew no man, — to wit,
as He assumed the temple of the body.
“And has hewn her seven p i l l a r s that is, the fragrant grace of the All-Holy Spirit, as
Isaiah says: ‘And the seven spirits o f God shall rest upon Him, ” But others say that the seven
pillars are the seven divine orders which sustain the creation by His holy and inspired teaching;
to wit, me prophets, the apostles, the martyrs, the hierarchs, the hermits, the saints, and the
righteous.
The phrase, “She has killed her beasts, ” denotes the prophets and martyrs who in every
city and country are slain like sheep every day by the unbelieving, in behalf of the truth, and cry
aloud, “For your sake we are killed all the day long, we were counted as sheep for the
slaughter. ” “She has mingled her wine” in the bowl, by which is meant, that the Savior, uniting
356 St. Augustine, City of God, NPNF, s. 1, v. 2, p. 661.

357 Fr. Tadros Malaty Commentary on Proverbs.
Page 174
His Godhead, like pure wine, with the flesh in the Virgin, was bom of her at once God and man
The Holy Pascha
without confusion of the one in the other.

“And she has furnished her table: ” denotes the promised knowledge of the Holy Trinity;
it also refers to His honored and undefiled body and blood, which day by day are administered
and offered sacrificially at the spiritual divine table, as a memorial of that first and ever-
memorable table of the spiritual divine supper. “She has sent forth her servants: ” Wisdom, that
is to say, has done so — Christ, to wit — summoning them with lofty announcement.
“Whoever is simple, Let him turn to me, ” she says, alluding manifestly to the holy apostles,
who traversed the whole world, and called the nations to the knowledge of Him in truth, with
their lofty and divine preaching. “And to those that want understanding she said” — that is, to
those who have not yet obtained the power of the Holy Spirit— ”Come, eat o f my bread, and
drink o f the wine which I have mingled for you; ” by which is meant, that He gave His divine
flesh and honored blood to us, to eat and to drink it for the remission of sins.
St. Hippolytus358
Let us then consider Christ in both ways, the divine Word made one in Mary with Him
which is from Mary. For in her womb the Word fashioned for Himself His house, as at the
beginning He formed Adam from the earth; or rather more divinely, concerning whom Solomon
too says openly, knowing that the Word was also called Wisdom, 4Wisdom built herself an house
;’ which the Apostle interprets when he says, ‘Which house are we ,’ and elsewhere calls us a
temple, as far as it is fitting to God to inhabit a temple, of which the image, made of stones, He
by Solomon commanded the ancient people to build; whence, on the appearance of the Truth, the
image ceased.
St. Athanasius359
Moreover the Holy Spirit by Solomon shows before the type of the Lord’s sacrifice,
making mention of the immolated victim, and of the bread and wine, and, moreover, of the altar
and of the apostles, and says, “Wisdom has built her house,,,” He declares the wine mingled,
that is, he foretells with prophetic voice the cup of the Lord mingled with water and wine, that it
may appear that that was done in our Lord’s passion which had been before predicted.
St. Cyprian360
Isaiah 4 0:9^3®
O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good
tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”
10Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His
reward is with Him, And His work before Him. 11He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the
lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.
12Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated
the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? 13Who has directed
the Spirit of the L o r d , Or as His counselor has taught Him? 14With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed
Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of
understanding?
15Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He
lifts up the isles as a very little thing. 16And Lebanon is not sufficient to bum, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt
offering. 17All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.
358 St. Hippolytus, Fragments: Commentary on Proverbs, NPNF, v. 5, p. 362.

359 St. Athanasius of Alexandria, Four Discourses Against the Arians, NPNF, s. 2, v, 4,4:34.
360 St. Cyprian: Epistle 62 to Caecilius, On the Sacrament of the Cup of the Lord, 5, ANF, v. 5.
Page 175
18T o whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? 19The workman molds
an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains. 20Whoever is too
impoverished for sucks, contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To
prepare a carved image that will not totter.
21Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you
not understood from the foundations of the earth? 12It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its
inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to
dwell in. 23He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless.
24Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the
earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.
25”T o whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One. 26Lift up your eyes
on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name,
By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.
27Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the L o r d , And my just claim is
passed over by my God”? 28Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the L o r d , The
Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29He gives
power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30Even the youths shall faint and be
weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,
This passage speaks of the fate of the unbelievers and jthe wicked. Those who deny faith
in God often assume that He is far from the range of humans and claim that He is in His heavens
while man lives in his world. This is the essence of contemporary atheistic thought which is
used by the enemy to strike man and destroy his relationship, unity, and fellowship with his
Creator. This is spoken about by Isaiah in v. 27: “Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel,
‘My way is hidden from the Lord, and my just claim is passed over by my God? ”
Thus, man amid his spiritual trouble considers neither himself isolated— even from
God— and feels that God neither cares for man’s way nor his life. That was probably what the
captives said, assuming that God had completely forgotten them; months and years have passed,
and it seems that He had broken His covenants with their forefathers. He gives them no thought
and doesn’t care for their return. He doesn’t care for their case, had forsaken them in Babylon,
and stayed in His heavens with no move to remove their disgrace, and to uplift their humiliation
and servitude.
Father Tadros Malaty557
The passage also speaks of the Second Coming. For the prophet declares, “Behold the
Lord God comes with might, and His arm rules for Him; Behold His reward is with Him and His
work before Him. He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges o f the earth useless. ”
[v. 10] Eusebius362, St. John Chrysostom363, and St. Justin Martyr36 all linked this verse with the
Second coming. As the latter wrote...
“Behold His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. ” These words are a glimpse
of the Second Coming of our Savior. It is then that He will give the laborers their reward and
“He will reward each according to His works. ” (Mt. 16:27) according to the word of the Apostle
who says, “For the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test
each one’s work, o f what sort it is. ” (1 Cor. 3:13). This is the proclamation that the Lord has
ordained to the holy prophets to make in their turn. He said, “Go to the lost sheep o f the house o f
361 Fr. Tadros Malaty, patristic Commentary on Isaiah, p. 386.

362 Eusebius 252: 29, an excerpt from Fr. Tadros Commentary on Isaiah.
363 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Isaiah, (Armenian/Latin edition), Isaiah through the Ages, p. 579, note 9.
364 St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Chap. 51, ANF, v. 1, p. 220-221
Page 176
Israel. And as you go, preach saying, ‘The Kingdom o f heaven is at hand. (Mt. 10:6-7). One
can therefore see that the oracles of the Prophet are thus in accord with the words of the Gospel.
“Who holds the earth in the palm o f His hand ”
To you, poor little feeble man, India is far from the land of the Goths, and Spain from
Persia; but to God, who holds the whole earth in the hallow of His hand, all things are near at
hand. Impute not then weakness to God, from a comparison of your feebleness, but rather dwell
on His power.
The Divine Nature cannot be apprehended by human reason...We cannot even represent
to ourselves all its greatness...in my opinion it will be discovered when that within us which is
godlike and divine—I mean our mind and reason—will have mingled with its like and the image
will have ascended to the archetype...Abraham, great patriarch though he was, was justified by
faith, and offered a strange victim, the type of the great sacrifice. Yet he did not see God as God,
but He was approved because he worshipped as far as he comprehended.
D aniel 7:9-15
I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as
snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; 10A
fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times
ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.
n ”I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till
the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12As for the rest of the beasts, they had
their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
13”I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of
heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. 14Then to Him was given
dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an
everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.
15”I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
In this selection, Daniel, speaks about the condemnation of four empires and the coming
of the Lord Jesus Christ to establish His kingdom in our hearts. This chapter also anticipates the
theme mentioned in the eleventh hour concerning the throne of God.
The Lord appears here as the “Ancient o f Days ” and the eternal Judge of all things (Matt.
25:31-46, Rev. 4:2). While in previous days, the prophesies spoke of repentance; the coming
prophesies will speak more about the Lord’s sitting on the judgment seat to judge with
righteousness, mercy and justice. As St. John Chrysostom explains, “The term ‘ancient’ is
among those laudatory expressions which confer highest glory.”36
The thrones in verse 9 refer in Hebrew to the thrones of kings that were removed so that
the King of kings alone will judge. Others see in this term that God will sit on His throne
surrounded by the heavenly saints and they will rejoice the victory of the believers and the
365 Ibid.
366 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 18, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 134.
367 St. Gregory Nazianzen, The Second Theological Oration, 11, 17, 18, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, pp. 292, 294, 295.
368 St. John Chrysostom, On 1 Corinthians, NPNF, s. 1, v. 12, p. 208.
Page 177
destruction of Satan and his followers. Others also believe these thrones are held by the disciples
who will judge the twelve tribes of Israel. God the Almighty will judge all human beings, and the
victorious righteous will judge the wicked who will have no excuse. They will be rebuked by the
righteousness of their follow-servants who lived with them in this world. 69
“The Court was seated, and the books were opened**
The “open books ” in v. 10, according to Origen, refer to the books that contained
people’s sins. “We are the ones who write these books, which will judge us on the Last Day.”370
The Scholar Origen mentioned the Book of Life in a singular form. St. John the Beloved (Rev.
3:7, 5:1-5) and Moses did the same (Ex. 32:32). However the plural form was used to prefer to
the books that are kept for eternal judgment.
The closed books will show an accountability of all our performances, every word or
thought or even any idle word (Matt. 12:36). Some people think that there are real books in
heaven in which our sins are recorded. However, these books are symbols of our conscious that
will be revealed on that Day, and each one will realize what he has done to himself.
The conscious of their people and their deeds, whether good or evil, are revealed before
everyone on that Day. One of these books is the Book of Life, which contains the names of the
living, while the other is the book of evil, which the accuser holds in His hands. This one wants
revenge. How cunning is he! We read of him being the accuser of our brethren, who accused
them before of our God day and night. (Rev. 12:10). This is the earthly book about which the
prophet Jeremiah said, ‘Shall be written in the earth ’” (Jer. 17:13)
St. Jerome372
“The Son of Mam**
He is the Son of God, He is the Word of the Father, and He is the Son of Man. He was
bom from St. Mary and He became the Son of Man.
St. Irenaeus373
All authority given by the Father to the Son was revealed to those in heaven, and to those
on earth, and to those under the earth. He is the Judge of everyone (Phil. 2:10). He is the Lord to
those in heaven for He is the Word bom before all ages; and He is the Lord to those on earth for
by His dead, He conquered death and preached the Gospel to the spirits in prison. (1 Pet. 3:19)
St. Hippolytus374
Mow can Daniel see God, if “no one has seen God at any time*?
No one can see God, but He declares Himself to us according to our ability and in a
manner that will edify us. Here the revelation presents the conflict between the kingdom of the
369 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Patristic Commentary on Daniel, 172.

370 The Scholar Origen, Homilies on Genesis, 13:4.
371 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Patristic Commentary on Daniel, p. 174.
372 St. Jerome, Homily on the Psalms, p. 14; Fr. Tadros Malaty’s, p. 174.
374 St. Hippolytus, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, 26.
Page 178
Lord Jesus Christ with His saints and the kingdom of the Antichrist. God appeared in a white
robe, white like snow, and his hair like pure wool. The white color refers to purity and the
heavenly life. Our weapon in the battle is our enjoyment of the heavenly life, lifting our hearts to
heaven and being occupied with our eternal life and keeping oneself pure.
Isaiah says, 7 saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up’ (Is. 6:1)...John
himself testifying of Him, that ‘he said these things when he had seen His glory ’ (12:41).
Ezekiel beheld Him sitting above the Cherubim. (Ez. 1 and 10). Daniel saw the Ancient of days
sitting on the throne (Dan. 7:9). Moses said ‘Show me Your Glory, that I may see You so as to
know You.’ (Ex. 33:13). Jacob took His name from this very thing, being called “Israel”; for
Israel is ‘one that sees God.’ And others have seen him. How can John say, ‘No man has seen
God at any time ’ (Jn. 1:18)? It is to declare, that all these were instances of His condescension,
not the vision of the Essence itself unveiled. For had they seen the very Nature, they would not
have beheld It under different forms, since that is simple, without form, or parts, or bounding
lines. It sits not, nor stands, nor walks: these things belong all to bodies. But how He Is, He only
knows.
The prophets did not openly behold the actual face of God, but they saw the dispensations
and the mysteries through which man should afterwards see God... [This is true of Isaiah, Elijah,
and Ezekiel] who saw the dispensations of God in part, but not actually God Himself. For when
Ezekiel had seen the vision of God, and the cherubim, and their wheels, and when he had
recounted the mystery of the whole of that progression, and had beheld the likeness of a throne
above them...he added the phrase, “This was the appearance o f the likeness o f the glory of
God, ” (Ezek. 1:28) so that no one might think that in those [visions] he had actually seen God.
If, then, neither Moses, nor Elijah, nor Ezekiel, who had all many celestial visions, did see God;
but if what they did see were images of the splendor of the Lord, and prophecies of things to
come; it is manifest that the Father is indeed invisible, of whom also the Lord said, “No man has
seen God at any time. ” But His Word, as He Himself willed it, and for the benefit of those who
beheld, did show the Father’s brightness, and explained His purposes (as also the Lord said:
“The only-begotten God, which is in the bosom o f the Father, He has declared [Him]; ”
St. Irenaeus 377
H o m i l y o f S t . S h e n o u d a
This is the second homily we read on Holy Tuesday from St. Shenouda, the first being in
the first hour. In the words of Fr. Pishoy Kamel, “The Holy Spirit, chose this homily to remind
us that we will eventually leave the world and that death is waiting for us. It behooves us to
follow God’s will as long as we have time in our life.”378
Psalm 2 4 : l ~3
1To you, O L o r d , I lift up my soul.2O my God, in You I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my
enemies exult over me.3 Do not let those who wait for You be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are
treacherous without a cause.
375 Fr. Tadros Malaty, A Patristic Commentary on Daniel.

376 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 130
377 St. Irenaeus, Against the Heresies, ANF, v. 1, p. 1011-3.
378 Fr. Pishoy Kamel, From Jerusalem to Golgotha, p. 41
Page 179
O my God, from trusting in myself I was brought even to this weakness of the flesh; and I
who on abandoning God wished to be as God, fearing death from the smallest insect, was in
derision ashamed for my pride; now, therefore, “in You I trust, I shall not be ashamed.
St. Augustine379
Matthew 2 4 : 3 - 3 5
Signs o f the End o f the Age (Mt. 24:3-8; Mk 13.3-8; Lk 21:7-11)
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will
these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” 4And Jesus answered and
said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and
will deceive many. 6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things
must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And
there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8A11 these are the beginning of sorrows. 9Then
they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10And
then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.1!Then many false prophets will rise
up and deceive many. 12And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13But he who
endures to the end shall be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to
all the nations, and then the end will come.
Persecutions Foretold (Mt. 24:9-14;Mk 13.9— 13; Lk 21.12— 19)
The Abomination o f Desolation

(Mt. 24:15-28; Mk 13.14-23; Lk 17.23-24, 37; 21.20-24)
15”Therefore when you see the ‘abomination o f desolation, ’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in
the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17Let
him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18And let him who is in the field not go
back to get his clothes. 19But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
20And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21For then there will be great tribulation, such as
has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And unless those days were
shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. 23Then if anyone says to
you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24For false christs and false prophets will rise and show
great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25See, I have told you beforehand. 26Therefore if they
say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert! ’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms! ’ do not believe it. 27For as
the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28For
wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
The Coming o f the Son o f Man (Mt. 24:29-31; M k 13.24—27; Lk 21.25—28)

29”Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its
light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30Then the sign of the Son of
Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming
on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet,
and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The Lesson o f the Fig Tree (Mt. 24:32-35;Mk 13.28—.31; Lk 21.29—,33)

32”N o w learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth
leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near-at the
doors! 34Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.
35Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
The Lord Jesus’ words about the coming of the heavenly kingdom preoccupies the minds
of many, for it is a prophetic message that announces the eternal kingdom, and His coming in the
church of the New Covenant. This is merged with the coming inside the soul. Thus selection
379 St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalm 25, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 152.
Page 180
speaks of many of the topics in previous readings, including: the falling away of the faith of man,
the final tribulations and hardships, the Second Coming, and how to be prepared for His coming.
The beginning and end of the chapter are not included in the reading, for the first two
verses speak about the destruction of the temple, which was already discussed in previous hours.
Also, verses 36-51 will be read in the Third Hour of the Eve of Holy Wednesday.
Wars and Rumors ofWars(v. 6)
He is speaking of wars in Jerusalem.. .for there are many wars and calamities in the world
at large, which have always been and will always be. For before this, were wars, and tumults,
and fights. But, He speaks of the Jewish wars coming upon them at no great distance, for
henceforth the Roman arms were a matter of anxiety. Since then these things also were sufficient
to confound them, He foretells them all.
“Because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall grow cold.99(v. 12)
Nothing is so opposed to love as sin, and I mean not love towards God, but that towards
our neighbor also. But how then, it may be said, are even robbers at peace? When are they, tell
me? Not when they are acting in a spirit which is that of robbers; for if they fail to observe the
rules of justice amongst those with whom they divide the spoil, and to render to every one His
right, you will find them too in wars and broils. So that neither amongst the wicked is it possible
to find peace: but where men are living in righteousness and virtue, you may find it every where.
But again, are rivals ever at peace? Never. And whom then would you have me mention? The
covetous man can never possibly be at peace with the covetous. So that were there not just and
good persons, even though wronged by them, to stand between them, the whole race of them
would be tom to pieces. When two wild beasts are famished, if there be not something put
between them to consume, they will devour one another. The same would be the case with the
covetous and the vicious. So that it is not possible there should be peace where virtue is not
already put in practice beforehand. Let us form, if you please, a city entirely of covetous men,
give them equal privileges, and let no one bear to be wronged, but let all wrong one another. Can
that city possibly hold together? It is impossible. Again, is there peace amongst adulterers? No,
not any two will you find of the same mind.
For this Christ Himself also pronounces to be the cause of wickedness, saying, “When
iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.99(Matt. 24:12). This too St. Paul here
says, calling them “covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful, ” and
showing that they were traitors even to the gift of nature. For we have a sort of family feeling
even by nature towards one another, which even beasts have got towards each other. “For every
beast,” it says, “loves His like, and every man His neighbor. ” (Eccles. 13:15.) But these became
more ferocious even than they. The disorder then which resulted to the world by evil doctrines,
he proves to us by these witnesses, and clearly shows that the malady in either case came of the
negligence of them that were disordered.
380 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10 p. 951.

381 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Thessalonians, NPNF, s. 1, v. 13 p. 210.
382 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Paul, NPNF, s. 1, v. l i p . 632.
Page 181
Proclamation o f the Gospel (v. 14)
For a witness to all nations” means not only that the gospel is preached everywhere but
that it is believed everywhere. It was for a witness, He said, to them that were disbelieving, that
is, for conviction, for accusation, for a testimony; for they that believed will bear witness against
them that believed not, and will condemn them. And for this cause, after the gospel is preached
in every part of the world, Jerusalem is destroyed, that they may not have so much as a shadow
of an excuse for their perverseness. For they that saw His power shine throughout every place,
and in an instant take the world captive, what excuse could they then have for continuing in the
same perverseness? For in proof that it was everywhere preached at that time, hear what Paul
sad, “of the gospel which was preached to every creature which is under Heaven.
Flee to the Mountains (v* 16)
As St. Augustine says, the mountains are the high souls of the saints, on which the small
souls, the hills, lean upon. The Lord Jesus’ call to flee at this point, is only a call to cling to the
saints and have partnership with them.384
I wish those who witness this to flee from the literacy of Judea to the mountains of truth,
so high up. If anyone climbs to the top of the world, and stood at its peak, he will not go down to
ask for anything from his home. If he is in the field where the treasure is hidden, he will not go
back, but he rather runs for the fear of the deceiving false word (the Antichrist). This is, in
particular, whenever he takes off the old robe, he does not go back to put it on for a second time.
The Scholar Origin
The Lord commends those who have been uplifted by the Holy Spirit from one floor to
the next, as from one glory to the next, until they have reached the rooftop and see the heavens
before their eyes, all open and clear. It is unobstructed by the clay roofs, which are the earthly
temporary matters. They do not come down again, and their life is in an upscale state, always
climbing up with no descent. They stay on the top of the roof awaiting Christ’s coming on the
clouds, and they ask no more for any earthly and temporary matters that are below
Fr. Tadros Malaty
The rooftop is the highest part of the house, it is the perfect peak of it. This is why
anyone who stands on it has to have a perfect heart, renewed, high in the spirit, careful lest he
falls to the worldly matters, and is eager to have the earthly possessions.
St. Hilary of Poitiers
He who has Christ’s robe does not come down from the rooftop to bring another
robe.. .Do not come down from the virtuous rooftop to ask for the clothes you used to wear in the
old times, and do not go back from the field to the house.
St. Jerome
383 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10 p. 954.

384 The following excerpts are taken from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Matthew.
Page 182
What is the “abomination of desolation ”?
There are main alternative views, held by different fathers.
It means the army by which Jerusalem became desolate and destroyed. This is derived
from the Lord’s words Himself “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know
that its desolation is near. ” (Luke 21:20) The Gentiles have entered the temple, and have defiled
it, and even absolutely ruined it. This was the sign of the kingdom’s end, literally speaking, and
the establishment of the spiritual kingdom.
St. John Chrysostom
We can understand that Caesar’s statue, set up by Pilate in the temple, or the statue of
Hadrian, the knight, which was setup in the holiest of the Holies; in the Old Testament the statue
was called ‘the abomination’, the word ‘desolation’ was added, because the statue was placed in
the middle of the deserted temple.
St. Jerome (St. John Chrysostom supported this also)
God gave a complete sign of His last coming, for He speaks of the days of the anti-
Christ, the days against Christ. He calls it ‘abomination’ for he comes against God, attributing
God’s honor to himself. It is an ‘abomination of desolation’ because he destroys the earth with
wars and killings. The Jews receive him, and he claims the sanctification attitude. Also in the
place where the saintly prayers take place, they accept the betrayer as if he is worthy of God’s
honor. This error is spread out among the Jews, they even deny the Truth and accept what is
false, and for this reason God asks His people to depart from Judea to the mountains so his
followers do not hinder them nor affect them.
St. Hilary of Poitiers
Melt
[There are some] who do not believe that there is a hell: for they are sufficient to silence
their impudence. Are not these calamities more severe than the Babylonian? Are not these
sufferings more grievous than the famines of that time? Yes, for [“never was the like from the
beginning of the world”] “no, nor ever shall be such.” (Mt. 24:21). And this was Christ’s own
declaration...There is therefore a hell, O man! and God is good. — Yes, did you shudder at
hearing these horrors? But these, which take place here, are nothing in comparison with what
shall be in that world...
The eagles or vultures and the carcass (v. 28)
As the fathers mention, in the Crucifixion of our Lord; the believers become as strong as
eagles, hovering in the heavens around the Cross His Body Sacrificed for our behalf.
They are called eagles, for their youth is renewed (Ps. 103:5), and they have wings to
come to Christ’s sufferings.
St. Jerome
385 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts, NPNF, s. 1, v. l i p. 82.
Page 183
The Lord calls His body a carcass by reason of death.. .but He calls us eagles, implying
that he who draws near to this Body must be on high and have nothing common with the earth,
nor wind himself downwards and creep along; but must ever be soaring heavenwards, and look
on the Sun of Righteousness.
Fr. Tadros Malaty also says however, when the carcass is dead, it is of the Antichrist; and
the wicked gather as eagles around it asking for what is appropriate to its nature. Thus, the Holy
One is surrounded by the saints, whereas the evil one is surrounded by the wicked.387
“The powers of the Heavens shall be shaken* * (ML 24:29.)
Then is the whole Heaven thrown open, and the gates of those concaves unfold
themselves, and the Only-begotten Son of God cometh down, not with twenty, not with a
hundred men for His bodyguard, but with thousands, ten thousands of Angels and Archangels,
Cherubim and Seraphim, and other Powers, and with fear and trembling shall everything be
filled, whiles the earth is bursting itself up, and the men that ever were bom, from Adam’s birth
up to that day, are rising from the earth, and all are caught up; (1 Thess. 4:17) when Himself
appears with such great glory as that the sun, and the moon, and all light whatever, is cast into
the shade, being outshone by that radiance. What language is to set before us that blessedness,
brightness, glory? Alas! my soul. For weeping comes upon me and great groaning, as I reflect
what good things we have fallen from, what blessedness we are estranged from. For estranged
we are (I am now speaking of my own case still), unless we do some great and astonishing work;
speak not then of hell to me now, for more grievous than any hell is the fall from this glory, and
worse than punishments unnumbered the estrangement from that lot.
386 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 Corinthians, NPNF, s. 1, v. 12 p. 330.

387 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Matthew, Ch. 24.
388 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Paul, NPNF, s. 1, v. l i p . 807.
Page 184
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church ♦ The Holy Pascha
T he E le v e n t h H o u r
"Before th e T h r o n e o f G o d *
Is. 30:25-33; Prov. 6:20-7:4 Ps. 44:6; 40:1; Matt. 25:14-26:2
The main theme of this hour is the judgment of God and the Second Coming. The
prophesies continue this theme as discussed in the previous hour, with a focus here on the
judgment by fire.
Isaiah speaks of the blow that is inflicted on Israel, and that the Lord “will come from far
away, burning with His anger, and in thick rising smoke... ” Thus he speaks of the Lord’s Second
Coming and our need to be prepared.
Proverbs speaks of the need to keep the commandments of God. There is a special
emphasis here on the sin of adultery, as a reminder from the readings of the Eve of Tuesday
(especially those of Hosea).
However, the main message comes to us in the reading of Psalm 45, in which we read of
the Throne of God. This is mainly a symbol of the judgment and Second Coming. The special
hymn for this psalm, TTGKCOPONOC (Pekethonos, “Your Throne”) has one of the most beautiful
melodies in the entire Coptic Church collection of hymns. As this hymn is chanted, we imagine
the Lord sitting on His Throne before us, our Beloved Bridegroom judging the world in
righteousness, justice and might. This psalm will be chanted again on the twelfth hour of Great
Friday, during which the throne symbolizes of the Cross of our Lord.
Also during the final hour we add the words “My Good Savior ” (Pasoteer en Agathos) to
the Paschal Doxology, “Thine is the power ” (Thok te ti gom). The Church wishes to prepare us
for the next to day that He is our Good Lord, our Bridegroom, from whom all good things come.
Also it prepares us to think of the Lord as the “Savoir” and Passover lamb.
Finally, we conclude the day of parables with the Parable of the Talents in the gospel,
which emphasizes the Lord as our King, who, as explained by many of the fathers, refers to the
judgment of our sins and deeds in the last day.
Is a i a h 3 0:2 5-33
There will be on every high mountain And on every high hill Rivers and streams of waters, In the day
of the great slaughter, When the towers fall. 26Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, And
the light of the sun will be sevenfold, As the light of seven days, In the day that the L or d binds up the bruise of His
people And heals the stroke of their wound.
27Behold, the name of the L ord comes from afar, Burning with His anger, And His burden is heavy;
His lips are full of indignation, And His tongue like a devouring fire. 28His breath is like an overflowing stream,
Which reaches up to the neck, To sift the nations with the sieve of futility; And there shall be a bridle in the jaws of
the people, Causing them to err.
29You shall have a song As in the night when a holy festival is kept, And gladness of heart as when one
goes with a flute, To come into the mountain of the L o r d , To the Mighty One of Israel.
30The L or d will cause His glorious voice to be heard, And show the descent of His arm, With the
indignation of His anger And the flame of a devouring fire, With scattering, tempest, and hailstones. 31For
through the voice of the L or d Assyria will be beaten down, As He strikes with the rod. 32And in every place where
the staff of punishment passes, Which the L ord lays on him, It will be with tambourines and harps; And in battles
of brandishing He will fight with it. 33For Tophet was established of old, Yes, for the king it is prepared. He has
made'# deep and large; Its pyre is fire with much wood; The breath of the L o r d , like a stream of brimstone, Kindles
it.
[The Lord’s blow in verse 27] means that [blow] inflicted at the beginning upon
disobedient man in Adam, that is, death; which [stroke] the Lord will heal when He raises us
Page 185
from the dead, and restores the inheritance of the fathers...This is what the Lord declared [in
Luke 12:37,38] and what John also says in the very same Apocalypse “Blessed and holy is he
who has part in the first resurrection. ” (Rev. 20:6)
St. Irenaeus 389
The lips of God are dripping fat for His children, but full of wrath for those who deny
Him. His tongue is inviting everyone to His heavenly riches; but is a consuming fire for the
rebellious. His breath grants comfort and exalted peace to the Church. The Lord breathed on His
disciples’ faces, granting them the Holy Spirit, to forgive sins (John 20: 22). As to those who
deny faith, His breath would be like a rushing torrent rising up to their neck.
P r o v e rb s 6:20-7:4
My son, keep your father’s command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. 21Bind them
continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. 22When you roam, they will lead you; When you
sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you. 23For the commandment is a lamp,
And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, 24To keep you from the evil woman, From the
flattering tongue of a seductress. 25Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
26For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
27Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? 28Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet
not be seared? 29So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
30People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. 31Yet when he is found,
he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house. 32Whoever commits adultery with
a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. 33Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his
reproach will not be wiped away. 34For jealousy is a husband’s fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of
vengeance. 35He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.
7:1My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you. 2Keep my commands and live, And
my law as the apple of your eye. 3Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4Say to
wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your nearest kin,
This passage includes an exhortation to walk according to God’s commandments, and the
discipline found within them.
“For jealousy is the rage of a man; therefore he will not regard any ransom, neither
will he rest content, though you give many gifts. ” (Prov. 6:34, 35.) And if such is the jealousy
of men in general, much more violent must it have been with him, an Egyptian and barbarian,
and injured as he thought by one whom he had honored. For you all know that injuries do not
affect us in the same way from all persons, but that those grieve us most bitterly and deeply
which proceed from those who were well-affected toward us, who had trusted us and whom we
had trusted, and who had received many kindnesses from us. He did not consider with himself,
nor say, What! have I taken a servant into my house, shared with him my substance, made him
free, and even greater than myself, and is this the return that he makes me? He did not say this,
so much was His mind prepossessed by His previous respect for him.”
389 St. Irenaeus, Against the Heresies, Book 5, Ch. 30, ANF, v. 1.
390 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Isaiah, p. 308.
391 St. John Chrysostom, NPNF, s. 1, v. 13, p. 1107.
Page 186
Let us then flee it (this fire of lust) as though following us, though indeed it follows not
behind us, but within our very selves. Let us then diligently take heed lest while we are fleeing
from it we carry it with ourselves. For we wish for the most part to flee, but if we do not wholly
cast it out of our mind, we rather take it up than forsake it. Let us then spring over it, lest it be
said to us: “Walk in the flame o f your fire, which you have kindled for yourselves. ” (Isa. 50:11).
For as he who “takes fire into his bosom burns his clothes, 99so he who walks upon fiery coals
must of necessity bum his feet, as it is written: “Can one walk upon coals of fire and not burn
his feet?99
St. Ambrose392
Evil lust is like a burning and a fire. Does fire consume a garment, and doesn’t the lust of
adultery consume the soul?
St. Augustine393
H o m i l y of S t, J o h n C h r y s o s t o m
This sermon had spoken about the importance of being prepared for Holy Communion,
but was removed by the Holy Synod because of its reference to Judas, who St. John mentions
had taken communion. For more discussion of this, please see the commentary on the 11th hour
gospel of Great Thursday.
P salm 4 4 : 6 , 40:1
6Your Throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your
Kingdom, blessed is the man who considers the poor and the needy; the Lord will deliver Him in the day of
trouble.
See how God became man, after the giving of the law by Moses? Hear also a second
testimony to Christ’s Deity, that which has just now been read, Your throne, O God, is forever
and ever. For lest, because of His presence here in the flesh, He should be thought to have been
advanced after this to the Godhead, the Scripture says plainly, Therefore God, even Your God,
has anointed You with the oil o f gladness above Your fellows. See Christ as God anointed by God
the Father?
St. Cyril of Jersualem394
His ‘Throne is forever and ever. ’ Why? for that first throne of the Kingdom was but a
temporal one: whence then have we a “throne for ever and ever”? Because it is God’s throne. O
divine Attribute of Eternity! for God could not have a temporal throne. "Your throne, O God, is
for ever and ever — a scepter of direction is the scepter o f Your Kingdom. ”
“The scepter o f direction ” is that which directs mankind: they were before crooked,
distorted; they sought to reign for themselves: they loved themselves, loved their own evil deeds:
they submitted not their own will to God; but would fain have bent God’s will to conformity
with their own lusts. For the sinner and the unrighteous man is generally angry with God,
because it does not rain! and yet would not want God to be angry with him because he is
reckless. And it is pretty much for this very reason that men daily sit, to dispute against God:
“This is what He should have done: this He has not well done.”
192 St. Ambrose, Concerning Repentance, Book 1, Ch. 14, § 75, ANF, v. 10.
393 St. Augustine, On the Psalms, 58:12, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8.
394 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 220.
Page 187
Do you know what you are doing? He knows what He is doing. You are the one that is
crooked! His ways are right. When will you make the crooked coincide with the straight? It
cannot be made to coincide with it. Just as if you were to place a crooked stick on a level
pavement; it does not join on to it; it does not cohere; it does not fit into the pavement. The
pavement is even in every part: but that is crooked; it does not fit into that which is level. The
will of God then is “equal,” your own is “crooked:” it is because you canst not be conformed
unto it, that it seems “crooked” unto you: rule you yourself by it; seek not to bend it to your own
will: for you canst not accomplish it; that is at all times “straight”! Would you abide in Him?
“Correct yourself;” so will the scepter of Him who rules you, be unto you “a rule of direction.”
Thence is He also called Kings from “ruling.” For that is no “ruler” that does not correct.
Hereunto is our King a King of “right ones.” Just as He is a Priest by sanctifying us, so is He our
King, our Ruler, by “ruling” us...
St. Augustine395
M a t t h e w 2 5s 14 ~ 2- 6: 2
The Parable o f the Talents (Lk 19.11—27)
“For the kingdom o f heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and
delivered his goods to them. 15And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according
to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16Then he who had received the five talents went and
traded with them, and made another five talents. 17And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
18But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19After a long time the lord of
those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20So he who had received five talents came and brought five
other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’
21His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you
ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22He also who had received two talents came and said,
‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23His lord said to him,
‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many
things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 24Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you
to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25And I was
afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 26But his lord answered and
said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not
scattered seed. 27So you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have
received back my own with interest. 28Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even
what he has will be taken away. 30And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.’
The Judgment o f the Nations

31’’When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the
throne of His glory. 32A11 the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a
shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world: 35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me
drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was
in prison and you came to Me.’ 37Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry
and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe
You? 390 r when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40And the King will answer and say to them,
‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41Then
He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the
devil and his angels: 42for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43I was a
395 St. Augustine, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8, pp. 340-1.
Page 188
stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or
sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you,
inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. ’ 46And these will go away into
everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
The Plot to Kill Jesus

(M kl4.1—2; L k 22.1—2; Jn 11.45—53)
26:1Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, 2”You
know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son o f Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
“The King m i His Servants**
If the kingdom of heaven is likened to a kingdom in this parable, then the King must be
the Son of God, for He is the King of the heavens, the absolute Wisdom, the absolute
Righteousness and absolute Truth. Thus, is He not so also absolute Kingdom? But it is not a
kingdom of any of those below, nor of a part of those above, but of all the things above, which
were called heavens.
But if you enquire into the meaning of the words, “Theirs is the kingdom o f heaven, ” you
may say that Christ is theirs in so far as He is the absolute Kingdom, reigning in every
thought of the man who is no longer under the reign of sin which reigns in the mortal body of
those who have subjected themselves to it. When I say reigning in every thought, I mean
reigning as Righteousness, Wisdom, Truth and the rest of the virtues in him who has become a
heaven, because of bearing the image of the heavenly, and in every power, whether angelic, or
the rest that are named saints, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come, and who are
worthy of a kingdom of such a kind. Accordingly this kingdom of heaven (when it was made “in
the likeness of sinful flesh,” that for sin it might condemn sin, when God made “Him who knew
no sin to be sin on behalf o f us, ” who bear the body of our sin), is likened to a certain king who
is understood in relation to Jesus being united to Him, if we may dare so to speak, having more
capacity towards being united and becoming entirely one with the “First-born o f all creation, ”
than he, who, being joined to the Lord, becomes one spirit with Him. Now of this kingdom of the
heavens which is likened unto a certain king, according to the conception of Jesus, and is united
to Him, it is said by anticipation that he wished to make a reckoning with His servants.
How is this parable afferent that in S t Luke*s gospel?
In Luke, from the one capital different degrees of increase were made, for from one pound
one brought five, another ten. Wherefore neither did they obtain the same reward. Here, it is the
contrary, and the crown is accordingly equal. For he that received two gave two, and he that had
received the five again in like manner; but there since from the same beginning one made the
greater, one the less, increase; as might be expected, in the rewards also, they do not enjoy the
same. But see Him everywhere, not requiring it again immediately. For in the case of the
vineyard, He let it out to vinedressers, and went into a far country; and here He committed to
them the talents, and took His journey, that you may learn His long-suffering. And to me He
seems to say these things, to intimate the resurrection. But here it is no more a vineyard and
vinedressers, but all servants. For not to rulers only, nor to Jews, but to all, does He address His
396 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, ANF, v. 10.
Page 189
discourse. And they who bring a return unto Him confess frankly, both what is their own, and
what their Master’s. And the one says, Lord, “You gave me five talents;” and the other says,
“two,” indicating that from Him they received the source of their gain, and they are very
thankful, and reckon all to Him.
Is our Lord a hard man? (v. 24)
When he was required to deliver up to His Lord that which belonged to him, he should
have acknowledged the kindness of him who gave it, and the value of that which was given. For
he who gave was not a hard man, had he been so, he would not have given even in the first
instance; neither was that which was given unprofitable and vain, for then he had not found fault.
But both he who gave was good, and that which was given was capable of bearing fruit. As
therefore ‘he who withholds com in seed-time is cursed,’ according to the divine proverb. So he
who neglects grace and hides it without discernment, is properly cast out as a wicked and
unthankful person. On this account, he praises those who increased their talents, saying, Well
done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful in a little, I will place you over much;
enter into the joy o f your Lord
St. Athanasius398
How can I ^deposit my money with the bankers*?
“You wicked and lazy servant, ” He will say, “So you should have deposited my money
with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. ” (Mat.
15:26-27). That is to say, you should have laid before the altar what you were not able to
bear. For while you, a lazy trader, keep a penny in your hands, you occupy the place of another
who might double the money. Wherefore, as he who ministers well purchases to himself a good
degree, so he who approaches the cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and
blood of the Lord.
St. Jerome399
Our Lord is not satisfied with what we have, but always desires more.. .The Apostle Paul
understood this, and forgetting those things which were behind, reached forward to those things
which were in ahead. He made daily progress, and did not keep the grace given to him
carefully wrapped up in a napkin, but his spirit, like the capital of a keen man of business,
was renewed from day to day, and if he were not always growing larger, he thought himself
growing less...
St. Jerome400
397 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, ANF, v. 10, pp. 992-3.
398 St. Athanasius, Festal Letter 3, NPNF, s. 2, v. 8, p. 1228.
399 St. Jerome, Letters, NPNF, s. 2, v. 6, p. 99.
400 St. Jerome, Treatise on the Perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Saint Mary, Book 2, NPNF, s. 2, v. 6, p. 875.
Page 190
f
The Punishment of the wicked (V. 30)

He that has a gift of word and teaching to profit thereby, and does not use it, will lose the
gift also. But he that gives diligence will gain to himself the gift in more abundance, just as the
other loses what he had received. But not to this is the penalty limited for him that is slothful, but
even intolerable is the punishment, and with the punishment the sentence, which is full of a
heavy accusation. For “He will cast,” He says, “the unprofitable servant into outer darkness:
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” See how not only the spoiler, and Jihe covetous,
nor only the doer of evil things, but also he that does not do good things, is punished with
extreme punishment.
But there are those who have wisely administered these goods and goods so great, but
have lost others, and whenever they give the reckoning when the master makes a reckoning with
them, there is gathered together how much loss each has incurred, and there is reckoned up how
much gain each has brought, and according to the worthiness of the way in which he has
administered it. He is either honored or punished. In some cases the debt is forgiven; in others,
the talents are taken away. Well, then, from what has been said, let us first look at the rational
coins and the tried money of the householder, of which one receives more and another less, for
according to the ability of each, to one are given five talents as he has the ability to administer so
many, but to another two as not being able to receive the amount of the man before him, and to
another one as being also inferior to the second.
The Scholar Origen 402
In this parable, the nobleman going into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom
and to return, is none other than Christ going into another country to receive the kingdoms of this
world and the things in it; those who receive the ten talents are those who have been entrusted
with the dispensation of the Word which has been committed unto them; His citizens who did
not wish Him to reign over them when He was a citizen in the world in respect of His
incarnation, are perhaps Israel who disbelieved Him, and perhaps also the Gentiles who
disbelieved Him.
Let us do Business
Therefore, let us not keep the Lord’s money buried and hidden in the flesh; nor let us hide
our one talent in a napkin; but like good money-changers let us ever weigh it out with labor of
mind and body, with an even and ready will, that the word may be near, even in your mouth and
in your heart. This is the word of the Lord, this is the precious talent, by which you are
redeemed. This money must often be seen on the tables of souls, in order that by constant trading
the sound of the good coins may be able to go forth into every land, by the means of which
eternal life is purchased. “This is eternal life, ” which You, Almighty Father, give freely, that we
“may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent. ” (John 17:3)
401 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, ANF, v. 10, pp. 993.
402 The Scholar Origen, Book 14, ANF, v. 10, pp. 896-7.
403 Ibid., p. 905.
404 St. Ambrose, Duties of the Clergy, Book 5, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10, p. 675.
Page 191
Our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ, as we learn from the parable in the Gospel,
The Holy Pascha
distributes talents to each man according to His ability, and at the fitting time demands an
account of the work done by every man. And if he to whom but one talent has been committed is
condemned because he has not worked with it but only kept it without loss, to how much greater
and more horrible judgment must he be subject who not only is negligent concerning himself, but
even places a stumbling-block and cause of offense in the way of others? Since it is manifest to
all the faithful that whenever any question arises concerning the faith, not only is the sinful man
condemned, but also he who when he has the power to correct sin in others, neglects to do so.
We therefore, to whom it has been committed to rule the Church of the Lord, fearing the curse
which hangs over those who negligently perform the Lord’s work, hasten to preserve the good
seed of faith pure from the tares of impiety which are being sown by the enemy.
Synod of the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople405
405 The above is an excerpt from the Introduction to the Sentence of the Synod of the Second Ecumenical Council at
Constantinople in 553 A.D. This is also known as the Fifth Ecumenical Council, which condemned the Theodore,
bishop of Mopsuestia, a follower of Nestorius. NPNF, s. 2, v. 14, p. 741.
Page 192
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church i, The Holy Pascha
C hapter 9
Eve of H oly W ednesday
“jFor I have betrothed you, to one husband,

to present you a chaste virgin to Christ
(2 Corinthians 11:2)
Page 193
The theme of this evening is our marriage with the Bridegroom, a very prevalent theme in
these last days of His ministry. As discussed earlier, this theme began from the earliest hours of
v Pascha; but is most accentuated on this day. As in the evenings of the Holy Pascha Week thus
far, the Church reminds us of preparing for His Second Coming, using many similar passages as
included in the midnight gospels of the Agpeya. During this evening’s gospel, we read of the
five wise and five foolish virgins in the First Watch of the Midnight Prayer.
This seems to be a long-standing tradition which is still eminent in our sister churches. In
the Greek Orthodox Church, Monday through Wednesday are known collectively as “The
Service of the Bridegroom” and focuses on Christ as the Heavenly Bridegroom and the kingdom
of God as the bridal chamber.406
Spiritual Symbol o f Marriage
Throughout the Bible, marriage symbolized the union between God and His people.
Israel was called the Lord’s wife, and the Lord Himself said, “I was a husband unto them ” (Jer.
31:32; cf. Is. 54:5). Prophets declared that the nation had committed “fornication” and
“adultery” when it turned from God to idols (Num. 25:1; Judg. 2:17; Jer. 3:20; Ezek. 16:17;
Hos. 1:2). They said that God had divorced His “unfaithful wife” (Is. 50:1; Jer. 3:8) when He
sent the Israelites away into captivity. Yet God had compassion on His “wife,” Israel, and called
“her” back to be faithful (Is. 54). As a bridegroom delights in his bride (Is. 62:4-5), so the Lord
delighted to make Israel the “holy people, ” His redeemed ones (Is. 62:12).
The New Testament describes the Church as the Bride of Christ, preparing herself for life
in the eternal kingdom (Eph. 5:23). This image underlines the truth that marriage should to be an
exclusive and permanent union of love and fidelity. Husbands should love their wives as Christ
loves His ransomed bride; wives should submit to their husbands, as they submit to Christ.407
The longer;people* are,earned, >they^.tend.40- reflect each other’s movements, habits,
p e i^ p ti^ s fito 408 invariably .reflect
the Lord and living with Him in this world and eternally, find ourselves loosing our own traits
and acquiring His—until one day we can say as St. Paul “it is^r0^Mf^^{I^whpMHvj^^tsCh/ist
who. lives in me. ” (Gal. 2:20)
Ancient Custom o f Marriage in Israel
In the ancient Jewish tradition, after paying an agreed upon price for the bride and
making an agreement between the two families, the couple was considered engaged. This
betrothal was a binding agreement that set the young woman apart for the young man, which
could only be voided by death or divorce. During the engagement period, the bridegroom is
exempt from military duty (Deu. 20:7); and if his fiance was raped it would be considered as
adultery (Deu. 22:23-27).
406 See Calivas, Great Week and Pascha in the Greek Orthodox Church, p. 29.
407Ibid. at 434.
408 This is based on an ongoing study at the University of Washington, on tests given every seven years to 175
couples over the past thirty years. Twenty-two couples have been tested regularly. The tests cover a wide range of
measurable skills in addition to personality traits and reasoning ability. Through the years the couples have become
one in many unexpected ways. Hurley, Speaker’s Sourcebook of New Illustrations, Word Publishers: Dallas, 1995.
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church { The Holy Pascha
The length of this engagement varied. Sometimes the couple was married the same day as
the betrothal; but usually a time period elapsed between the two ceremonies. During this time,
the young man prepared a place in his father’s house for his bride, while the bride prepared
herself for married life.409
On the day of the wedding, the groom and his friends dressed in their finest clothes and
went to the home of the bride. He would circle the villages to gather up his wedding party. He
would announce that he would be getting married on this day and those who would wish to
would follow the groom to the wedding. For this reason, the groom would select the longest
route in the villages, so that he could gather the greatest number of people. Because this could
take hours into the night, the bride would have to be ready at anytime to receive her new
bridegroom. It was common for this to even go into the early hours of the morning.
Meanwhile, the bride-to-be would wait expectantly with her family, friends, or maidens
at her home. This preparation for the wedding was of the utmost holiness, purity and blessing.
They would sing, tell stories of marriage, read from the scriptures, and advise the bride of
marriage. Because she could be waiting for several hours, they needed lamps full of oil to keep
them awake and prepared.
Once the groom arrived, the couple would travel back to the groom’s house,
accompanied with song and dance from the wedding entourage. Once at the groom’s house, the
couple was ushered into a bridal chamber. The marriage was consummated...as the guests waited
outside. Once that fact was announced, the wedding festivities continued, with guests dropping
by for the wedding feast. Usually the wedding party lasted for a week.410 It could last even more;
for in the story of Tobit, it reached up to 14 days.
On grand occasions, a host would give special robes to his guests. At Jewish weddings,
for instance, the host furnished wedding garments to all the guests. At times, the wedding party
also wore crowns (Ez. 16:12).411
The Readings
As discussed earlier, during the Eve of Holy Wednesday the Coptic Orthodox Church
focuses on how the Church as the Bride of Christ, prepares herself to meet the Bridegroom and
unite with Him. Regarding this theme, the first hour focuses on how we and the Church must
wear the garment of purity, righteousness, for those without the garment will be denied both the
marriage and salvation
The third hour also focuses on how we must be ready for the true wedding, and not to be
eating, drinking and given in marriage (to the world and sin). The Lord wears the house of Israel
as a sash that clings to Him, a symbol of our union and fellowship with Him and the heavenly
life He prepares for us.
But this is not enough.. .not only do we need the wedding garment of purity and the sash
of readiness, we need to have the oil of the Holy Spirit and the Sacraments, so that we can enter
the marriage. As we read of in the sixth hour, if we lack this oil, the door of salvation will be
shut before us.
Finally, the ninth and eleventh contrast the wise and the foolish virgins. In the ninth
hour, the foolish are rejected by the Lord as a harlot in the Book of Hosea. It speaks of purity o f
heart which is compared with the sin of hypocrisy.
409Packer, J. 1997, cl995. Nelson’s Illustrated Manners and Customs o f the Bible, p. 484.
410Hayford, J. W. 1995. Hayford’s Bible handbook.
41Packer, J. 1997, cl995. Nelson's Illustrated Manners and Customs o f the Bible, p. 484.
Page 195
However, in the eleventh hour we focus on the wisdom of the virgins, as compared them
with the foolishness of the Jews. Thus, where as the wisdom necessary for our salvation is the
focus of the eleventh hour reading from the book of Wisdom, itself.
3 rd g th
HOUR 1st 6,h u th
Theme The Wedding The B rid e ’s The G room ’s The Rejected The Wise
Garment Oil Entrance Bride Bride
Prophesies Ezek. 22:17-22 Amos 5:18-27 Jer. 13:9-14 Hos. 9:14-10:2 Wisd. 7:24-30
Sermon
Psalm 58:16, 17 64:4, 5 101:1,2 21:20-21 56:1
Gospel Matt. 22:1-14 Matt. 24:36-51 Matt. 25:1-13 Matt.23:29-36 John 11:55-57
Page 196
T he W edding G a r m e n t
Ezek. 22:17-22 Psalm 58:16, 17 Matt. 22:1-14

The readings of this hour represent the purity of the bride (the Church) needed for her
wedding day, the Day of Judgment. This purity takes the form of the wedding garment, spoken
about in many of the following readings.
In the prophesy of Ezekiel, the Lord speaks as a coppersmith seeking to purify different
types of metal in the furnace. He explains how He could not purify the house of Israel and
therefore, must throw them in the midst of the fire and melt them. The fathers explain how each
type of metal (tin, iron, bronze, silver, etc.) represent types of sin that afflicts the soul. Just as the
metal must be purified and cannot contain impure material, so too the soul must be as pure or
else it will not celebrate the wedding feast in the kingdom of heaven.
We then read the gospel parable of the man found without the wedding garment who was
cast out of the celebration. The fathers explain how the garment is a symbol of the righteous life
which is united fully with the Lord.
The exposition explains how Judas was the man without the heavenly garment that was
denied salvation because he denied our Lord along with His blessings and betrayed Him.
E zekiel
The word of the L o r d came to me, saying, 18”Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me;
they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver. 1th e re fo re
thus says the Lord G o d : ‘Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of
Jerusalem. 20As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it;
so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you. 21Yes, I will gather
you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst. 22As silver is melted in
the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the L o r d , have poured
out My fury on you.’ “
The holy Scriptures say that the Lord will visit each one of those who require purification
like a refiner’s fire and fullers’ soap. For because they intermingled with a flood of wicked
matter proceeding from their evil nature they need to be refined by fire with their dross... He who
wishes may learn this from the prophet Ezekiel. But that we say that God brings fire upon the
world, not like a cook, but like a God, who is the benefactor of them who stand in need of the
discipline of fire, will be testified by the prophet Isaiah, in whose writings it is related that a
sinful nation was thus addressed: “Because you have coals o f fire, sit upon them: they shall be a
help to you. ” [Is. 47:14, 15]
The Lord rebukes the children of Israel [in v. 18] as if He was saying to them, “I
desired to purify the house o f Israel in the fire o f tribulation; I wanted them to become silver or
gold. But they have been turned before Me in the furnace into brass, tin, iron, and lead—because
even in tribulation they have not turned into virtue but to vice. ”
412 The Scholar Origen, Against Celsus, Book 5, ANF, v. 4.
Page 197
I
For truly when brass is struck it becomes stronger than all other metals. Therefore, he
who breaks into murmuring when subjected to strokes turns into brass in the midst of the
furnace.
But tin, when it is dressed with ore, has a false show of silver. He, then, who is not free
from the vice of pretense in the midst of tribulation becomes tin in the furnace. Moreover, he
who plots against the life of his neighbor uses iron—for the iron in the furnace symbolizes he
who does not eliminate harmful malice in his tribulation.
Lead, also, is the heaviest of metals. He, then, is found as lead in the furnace who, even
when placed in the midst of tribulation, is not raised above earthly desires. Hence, again, it is
written, "She has wearied herself with much labor, and her exceeding rust went not out from
her, not even by fire. ” (Ezekiel 24:12). For He brings upon us the fire of tribulation, that He may
purge us from the rust of vices. But we lose not our rust even though fire, when even amid
scourges we do not lack vice. Hence the Prophet says again, “The founder has melted in vain;
their wickedness are not consumed. ” (Jer. 6:29).
St. Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome413
Psalm 58:16* 11
16 You have been a fortress for me and a refuge in the day of my tribulation. 17You are my helper; I wil
sing to You, O My God; You are my supporter, O my God and my mercy.
In the morning when temptations have been overcome, in the morning when the night of
this world shall have passed away; in the morning when no longer the lying in wait of robbers
and of the devil and of His angels we dread, in the morning when no longer by the lamp of
prophecy we walk, but Himself the Word of God as it were a Sun we contemplate. “And I will
sing aloud in the morning o f Your mercy. ” With reason in another Psalm is said, “In the morning
I will stand beside You, and I will meditate. ” With reason also of the Lord Himself the
Resurrection was at dawn, that there should be fulfilled that which has been said in another
Psalm, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. ” (Psalm 30:5) For at
even the disciples mourned our Lord Jesus Christ as dead, at dawn at Him rising again they
exulted. “For You have become my defense and refuge in the day o f my trouble. ”
You are my helper; I will sing to You, O My God; You are my supporter, O my God, and
my mercy. ” “What would I do if You did not help me? How much would I have despaired if You
did not heal me? Where was I lying, unless You didst come to me? Surely, I was endangered
with a huge wound, but my wound needed an Almighty Physician—for to an Almighty
Physician nothing is incurable...
[David then concludes] by saying, “My God is my mercy: ” He being filled with the good
things of God has not found what he might call His God, save “His mercy. ” O name, under
which no one must despair! If you say, my salvation, I perceive that He gives salvation; if you
say, my refuge, I perceive that you take refuge in Him; if you say, my strength, I perceive that
He gives to you strength: “my mercy,” is what? All that I am is of Your mercy...”
St. Augustine414
Matthew 2 2 : 1 - 14
And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2”The kingdom of heaven is like a
certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the
wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited,
413 St. Gregory, Pastoral Rule, NPNF, s. 2, v. 12, p. 619.

414 St. Augustine, Commentary on the Psalms, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8, pp. 535-6.
Page 198
“See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the
wedding.” ‘ 5But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6And the
rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7But when the king heard about it, he was furious.
And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8Then he said to his servants, ‘The
wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy, th ere fo re go into the highways, and as many as you
find, invite to the wedding.’ 10So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they
found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11But when the king came in to see the
guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come
in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand
and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14For many
are called, but few are chosen.”
Condemnation and Eternal Life
Beloved, let us fear, lest we be doomed to hear those terrible words, “Bind him hand and
foot. ” (Mt. 22:13.) And why, O woman, do you now do so to yourself? No prisoner has both His
hands and His feet bound. Why do you bind your head too? For you are not content with hands
and feet, but you bind your head and neck with many chains. I pass over the care that comes of
these things, the fear, the alarm, the strife occasioned by them with your husband if ever he
wants them, the death it is to people when they lose any of them. Can you call this a pleasure? To
gratify the eyes of others, do you subject yourself to chains, and cares, and perils, and
uneasiness, and daily quarrels? This is deserving of every censure and condemnation. No, I
entreat you, let us not do thus, let us burst every “bond o f iniquity” (Acts 8:23); let us break our
bread to the hungry, and let us do all other things, which may ensure to us confidence before
God, that we may obtain the blessings promised through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom, etc.
And wherefore is it called a marriage? one may say. That you might learn God’s tender
care, His yearning towards us, the cheerfulness of the state of things, that there is nothing
sorrowful there, nor sad, but all things are full of spiritual joy: Therefore also John calls Him a
bridegroom, therefore Paul again says, “For I have betrothed you to one husband; ” (2 Cor. 11:2)
and, “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church. ” (Eph. 5:32)... By
this, He also proclaimed the Resurrection. For since in what went before He had spoken of the
death, He shows that even after the death, then is the marriage, then the bridegroom.
What is the wedding garment?
The fathers had varying interpretations on the symbol of the wedding garment, though
most of them represented various virtues of the life in Christ that must be adorned in order to be
fully united with Him. Tertullian, for example, viewed the wedding garment as the sanctity o f the
flesh;417 while St. Augustine explained it as “seeking His honor and His glory.”4U
We find these various interpretations even within the commentary of a single father. For
example, St. Ambrose describes it as the “wedding garment of Faith,... the “vestment of charity
415 St. John Chrysostom, NPNF, s. 1, v. 11, p. 462.

416 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, pp. 889-90.
417 Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh, ANF, v. 2, p. 1053.
Page 199
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church \ The Holy Pascha
and the veil of grace.”419 St. John Chrysostom explains the garment as the “life and practice ” of
the heavenly life in Christ;420 as well as the garment which “belonged to the king” that “signifies
virtue.”421 This demonstrates that the garment does not signify only one thing, but has a broad
meaning.
One very noteworthy explanation is put forward by St. Cyril of Jerusalem, who explains
the garment as the robe of charity which is necessary for us to don in order to celebrate the feast
of the Resurrection:
Put off, I beg you, fornication and uncleanness, and put on the brightest robe of chastity.
This charge I give you, before Jesus the Bridegroom of souls, come in and see their fashions.
You have been allowed a long notice; you have forty days for repentance. You have had a full
opportunity to both put off and wash; and to put on and enter. But if you persist in an evil
purpose, the speaker is blameless. But you must not look for the grace: for the water will
receive, but the Spirit will not accept you. If any one is conscious of His wound, let him take the
salve; if any has fallen, let him arise. Let there be no Simon among you, no hypocrisy, no idle
curiosity about the matter.
St. Augustine interprets this garment is that of righteousness which includes, love, a good
conscience and faith. He explains how necessary this is for us to meet our Christ, Beloved
Bridegroom and honor His Bride, the Church:
That one man represented one class; for they were many...The garment that was looked
for is in the heart, not on the body; for had it been put on externally, it could not have been
concealed even from the servants. Where that wedding garment must be put on, hear in the
words, “Let your priests be clothed with righteousness. ” (Ps. 132:9). Of that garment the
Apostle speaks, “Having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.” (2 Cor. 5:3). Therefore,
was he discovered by the Lord, who escaped the notice of the servants... Surely, this garment is
worn only by the good, who remain at the feast; and are brought safely, by the grace of the Lord,
to that other feast which no bad man can approach. Let us then, my brethren, seek for those
among the faithful who have something that wedding garment which bad men do not have.
What is that wedding garment then? This is the wedding garment: “Now the purpose of
the commandment, ” says the Apostle, “is love out o f a pure heart, from a good conscience, and
sincere faith. ” (1 Tim. 1:5) This is the wedding garment. Not love of any kind whatever; for very
often they who are partakers together of an evil conscience seem to love one another. They who
commit robberies together, who love the hurtful arts of sorceries, and the stage together, who
join together in the shout of the chariot race, or the wild beast fight; these very often love one
another; but in these there is no “love out of a pure heart, from good conscience, and from
sincere faith.” The “wedding garment” is such love as this...You are already within, already do
you approach to the Feast, and I still do not yet have the garment to do honor to the Bridegroom.
“You are yet seeking your own things, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. ”
For the wedding garment is taken in honor of the union, the union, that is, of the
Bridegroom to the Bride. You know the Bridegroom; it is Christ. You know the Bride; it is
419 St. Ambrose, On the Duties of the Clergy, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10, p. 627, 782.
420 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, p. 891.
421 St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Eutropius, NPNF, s. 1, v. 9, p. 429.
422 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, pp. 114-5.
Page 200
the Church. Pay honor to the Bride, pay honor to the Bridegroom. If you pay due honor to
them both, you will be their children. Therefore, make progress in this. Love the Lord, and
so learn to love yourselves; that when by loving the Lord you shall have loved yourselves,
you may securely love your neighbor as yourselves.
St. Augustine423
If a man is going to carry out the advice of Solomon and take for helpmate and life-
companion that true Wisdom of which he says, “Love her, and she shall keep you;...honor her,
that she may embrace you, ” then he will prepare himself in a manner worthy of such a love, so
as to feast with all the joyous wedding guests in spotless raiment, and not be cast forth, while
claiming to sit at that feast, for not having put on the wedding garment.
Exposition
The king who held the marriage feast and invited the guests to the banquet is God, the Father. His Son is
Jesus Christ our Savior. The feast is the world in which He came, was incarnate from the Theotokos, and dwelt
among the people as one of them. The servants He commissioned to carry His message are the prophets who
preceded Him preaching to the nations His imminent coming. The nation, however, neglected the matter and
rejected their message; they went each His own way: one to His field, another to His business, and the rest killed the
messengers. The king became enraged, set His troops, disciplined these killers, and burned their town.
Those invited to the real banquet for God the Word were the contrary antipathetic Jews, whose names
were eliminated from the Book of Life. He, God the Father, sent others and commanded them to go in the streets
and to invite everyone they find. When they did that, they invited many who were good and many who were bad
until they had a full house. The king came in to inspect the guests. He saw one who was not appropriately attired
for the occasion. He asked him, “Friend how did you get in without the proper dress?” The man was speechless and
embarrassed and the servants shoved him out to the outer darkness. Who is this individual, but Judas, who lost His
heavenly garment and became dressed with damnation which seeped as water into His stomach because he denied
His Master’s blessings and dared to betray Him. He was thus separated from His Master’s glory and His priesthood
was given to another.
Prayer
The King has brought me into His chamber.

Let my soul rejoice in the Lord:
For He has clothed me with a garment of salvation,
And a robe of gladness:
He has crowned me with a garland as a bridegroom,
And decked me with ornaments as a bride.
St. Cyril Bishop of Jerusalem425
423 St. Augustine, Sermon 40 on Matthew 22, NPNF, s. 1, v.6, p. 835-837.

424 St. Gregory of Nyssa, On Virginity, 20, NPNF, s. 2, v. 5.
425 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, pp. 136.
Page 201
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church l- The Holy Pascha
THE THIRD HOUR:

T he Bride's O il
Amos 5:18-27 Psalm 64:4,5 Matt. 24:36-51
This hour continues in one of the main themes of Pascha, which is readiness and
watchfulness. This is the oil of the bride that will keep her awake and prepared to meet her
Bridegroom In this hour, the Church contrasts the readiness of a servant with the carelessness
and slackness of the sinner
In the prophesy of Amos, we read of those who are celebrating a feast at the inappropriate
time. God will reject even their offerings and sacrifices, because of their inattentiveness, their
celebration of sin and wickedness.
It is important, instead, to be righteous and accept Him Who is our righteousness, as
mentioned in the psalm.
The gospel again compares those who are celebrating by eating, drinking, and sinning
with the ready, watchful, and righteous servant of God. This passage focuses more on the
parable of the ten virgins, which is only mentioned in the gospel according to St. Matthew. This
parable has a unique role in the Church. It not only prepares us this evening for Pascha, but is
used by the Church as a daily reminder in the gospel of the First Watch of the Midnight Hour. It
is also read throughout the month (usually on weekdays only) when commemorating the
departure of a nun or ascetic woman like St. Mary of Egypt (24th of Tubah) or St. Eskani (29th of
Tubah).
A mos
Woe to you who desire the day of the L o r d ! For what good is the day of the L o r d to you? It will be
darkness, and not light. 19It will be as though a man fled from a lion, And a bear met him! Or as though he went
into the house, Leaned his hand on the wall, And a serpent bit him! 20Is not the day of the L o r d darkness, and not
light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?
21”I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies. 22Though you offer
Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace
offerings. 23Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed
instruments. 24But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.
25”Did you offer Me sacrifices and offerings In the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? 26You also
carried Sikkuth your king And Chiun, your idols, The star of your gods, Which you made for yourselves.
27Therefore I will send you into captivity beyond Damascus,” Says the L o r d , whose name is the God of hosts.
“Woe unto them that say, Let him make speed, let God hasten His work, that we may see
it: and let the counsel o f the Holy One o f Israel come, that we may know it!” (Isaiah 5U9); and
again [When the prophet writes] ”Woe unto them that desire the day o f the Lord. ” (Amos 5:18),
he means this day; for he does not speak simply of persons who desire it, but of those who desire
it because they disbelieve it: and “the day o f the Lord, ” he says, “is darkness, and not light ” —
see then how Paul consoles them, as if he had said, Let them not account their being in a
prosperous state, a proof that the Judgment is not coming. For so it is that it will come.
These sacrifices one may see in the Old Testament also, shadowed out beforehand.
“Offer to God,” it is said, “a sacrifice of righteousness” (Psalm 4:5); “Offer a sacrifice o f
426 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 9, 1 Thess. 5, NPNF, s. 1, v. 13, pp. 751-2.
Page 202
praise” (Psalm 1:14); “a sacrifice o f praise shall glorify M e” (Psalm 1:23); “the sacrifice of
God is a broken spirit ” (Psalm 51:17); “what does the Lord require o f you but ” to hearken to
Him? (Micah 6:8) “Burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin You have had no pleasure in: then I
said, Lo I come to do Your will, O God!” (Psalm 40:6, 7), and again, “To what purpose do you
bring the incense from Sheba?” (Jeremiah 6:20) “Take away from Me the noise o f your songs,
for I will not hear the melody o f your viols. ” (Amos 5:23) But instead of these “I will have mercy
and not sacrifice. ” (Hosea 6:6) You see with what kind of “sacrifices God is well pleased. ” (c.
13:16) You also see that already from the first the one class have given place, and these have
come in their stead.
“Work while it is day. The night comes when no one can work. ” [Jn. 9:4], he has named
here as this age the day...but the darkness and the night the consummation because of
punishments. “For what good is the day o f the LORD to you? It will be darkness, and not
light, ” says the prophet Amos. If you can envision after the consummation of the world what
the gloom is, a gloom that pursues nearly all of the race of humans who are punished for sins.
The atmosphere will become dark at that time, and no longer can anyone ever give glory to God,
since the Word has given orders to the righteous saying, go, “My people, enter into your rooms,
shut the door, hide yourselffor a little season, until the force o f My anger has passed away. ” [Is.
26:20]
Psalm 64;4, 5
4Blessed is he whom You choose and take to Yourself; He shall dwell in Your forever.5Holy is Your
temple; wonderful in righteousness.
Long for the House of God and for the good things of that House but do not long for such
things in your house, in your neighbors’ or your friends’... “Your holy Temple is marvelous in
righteousness ” (v. 5). These are the good things of that House. He did not say Your holy Temple
is marvelous in pillars, marvelous in marbles, marvelous in glided ceilings; but is “marvelous in
righteousness. ” ...There is a kind of beauty in righteousness, which we see with the eye of the
heart, and we love, and we kindle with affection... These are the good things of the House of
God. With these,prepare yourself to be satisfied... “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness, for they shall be filled. ” “Your holy Temple is marvelous in righteousness. ” And
that same temple, brethren, do not imagine to be aught but yourselves. Love righteousness, for
you are the Temple of God.
St. Augustine429
M a t t h e w 24?36-5l
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37But as
the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38For as in the days before the flood, they
were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39and did not
know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40Then two men
will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be
taken and the other left. 42Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43But know
this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not
427 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Hebrews, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 902.

428 The Scholar Origen, Homilies on Jeremiah 12, FC v. 97, p. 122-123; AACS OT v. 14, p. 102.
429 St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalms, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8, p. 596-97.
Page 203
allowed his house to be broken into. 44Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do
not expect.
45”Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them
food in due season? 46Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47Assuredly, I
say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is
delaying his coming,’ 49and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50the master
of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51and will
cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Every day in our different ages we experience a kind of death, and in every case
instability is the characteristic of things we see. Neither winter, nor summer, nor spring, nor
autumn, is permanent; all are running, flying, and flowing past. Why should I speak of fading
flowers, of dignities, of kings that are today, and tomorrow cease to be, of rich men, of
magnificent houses, of night and day, of the sun and the moon? for the moon wanes, and the sun
is sometimes eclipsed, and often darkened with clouds? Of things visible, in short, is there
anything that endures for ever? Nothing! No, nor anything in us but the soul, and that we neglect.
Of things subject to change we take abundant care, as if they were permanent: but that which is
to endure for ever we neglect, as if it were soon to pass away. Some one is enabled to perform
mighty actions, but they shall last till tomorrow, and then he perishes, as we see in the instances
of those who have had yet greater power, and are now to be seen no more. Life is a dream, and
a scene; and as on the stage when the scene is shifted the various pageants disappear, and as
dreams flit away when the sunbeams rise, so here when the end comes, whether the universal or
that of each one, all is dissolved and vanishes away. The tree that you have planted remains,
and the house that you have built, it too stands on. But the planter and the builder go away, and
perish. Yet these things happen without our regarding it, and we live on in luxury and pleasure,
and are ever furnishing ourselves with such things, as if we were immortal.
Exposition
Contemplate, you who exalt the Lord, on the kindness of Christ our God. Observe how He calls His
chosen who fulfill His will, prudent and honest servants. I mean those who preserve His commandments and look
forward to their awards. As the Bible asserts, those servants whose master makes a surprise visit and finds them
awake are blessed. Assuredly I say, He will install His servant to take care of His property. So whomever He finds
derelict in His duties and neglecting them often, one day His Master will make a surprise visit, deny him, and make
His lot with the hypocrites, in the place of darkness and suffering. Let us awake and be alert in anticipation of the
day of the Lord so that we may rejoice with Him in His dwelling place and receive His forgiveness and mercies.
430 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1 v. 13, p. 955.
Page 204
T he Sixth H our
T he Coming of the Bridegroom
Jer. 13:9-14 Psalm 101:1,2 Matt. 25:1-13
In this hour, we celebrate the great entrance of the Bridegroom into the house of the
bride. The Church again emphasizes our preparedness, but this time in a different sense. Instead
of being prepared with the wedding garment, we must have the oil of virtue, the Holy Spirit, and
the sacraments.
In the previous hour we read how we must wear the garment of righteousness, virtue and
love in order to be united with our Lord. In the prophesy here from Jeremiah, we read how our
Bridegroom clothes Himself with us as a sash that clings to Him.
The Psalm includes the cry the bride to her Bridegroom, as the Shulmite woman cried to
her bride in the Song of Songs. This is our cry in the Pascha Week to be united with our Beloved
for the forgiveness of our sins, the salvation of our souls.
We once again read the gospel from the parable of the ten virgins, with verses 10-13
added here. These verses refer to the coming of the bridegroom and the suffering of the five
foolish virgins. While the last hour focuses more on the expectation of the Bridegroom, during
this hour we focus on His arrival and the rejection of the foolish virgins.
Jeremiah 13: 9-14
“Thus says the L o r d : ‘In this manner I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10This
evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve
them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing. n For as the sash clings to
the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’
says the L o r d , ‘that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not
hear.’
1^ ’Therefore you shall speak to them this word: ‘Thus says the L o r d God of Israel: “Every bottle shall be
filled with wine.” ‘ And they will say to you, ‘Do we not certainly know that every bottle will be filled with wine?’
13Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the L o r d : “Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land—even the
kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness!
14And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together,” says the L o r d . “I will not pity
nor spare nor have mercy, but will destroy them.’”
As explained above, this sash the Lord wears is a symbol of His people. For He wishes to
unite with us entirely out of His love. The Lord would like for us to shine with Him as His
garments shone on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt. 17:22), bright and holy, pure and glorious.
As Fr. Tadros explains, these two parables of the buried sash and the bottle filled with wine are
related to each other—both became corrupt and unprofitable:
The first refers to the pride, the destroyer of man; and the second refers to the
drunkenness with sin, and the lack of spiritual reason and repentance ... That is what pride of
man, and his haughtiness cause; as he thinks of himself as wise, when he is really drunk!...He
probably used the two parables, to refer, by the first to the denial of the soul, of the work of the
Lord Christ; and, by the second to its denial of His Holy Spirit.
431 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Jeremiah, Ch. 13.
Page 205
Referring to the church as a white robe, is not strange, if we listen to what the prophet
The Holy Pascha
Isaiah says: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Is. 1: 18).
St. Augustine432
If we are the clothes of Christ, we clothe His nakedness by our faith. Behold Him
hanged naked on the Cross, because of the prejudice of the Jews, and the foolishness of the
Gentiles (1 Cor. 1: 23). However, He is clothed by our faith, our knowledge, and our
praise...We are the clothes of Christ, When we are clothed with our confession of faith; we are
subsequently clothed with Christ.
St. Jerome433
P salm io i« lt2
1O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to You.2 In the day when I call upon You, answer me
speedily.
Matthew 15:1-13
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the
bridegroom. 2Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3Those who were foolish took their lamps and
took no oil with them, 4but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5But while the bridegroom was
delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out
to meet him!’ 7Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us
some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough
for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10And while they went to buy, the
bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11Afterward
the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I
do not know you.’ 13Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son o f Man is coming.
Whmt do the virgins represent?
These ten virgins of this parable represent all of humanity—not just one particular group.
Even though five were saved here, this does not mean that half of humanity will be saved. As St.
Augustine says, “this parable relates to us all, that is to the whole church together, not to the
clergy only...nor to the laity only but generally to all...Christian souls together...[but] not souls
of every sort, but such souls as have the Universal faith, and seem to have good works in the
Church of God.”434
Others, such as Methodius, believe that the number of ten virgins symbolize the only
right way to heaven, for the ten believed in our Lord Jesus Christ.435
FIVE; Whmt is the significance efftvefm tish andfive wise virgins?
St. Augustine explains how the five represents the five senses, for everything in the body
is perceived by one of its five gates—either by the sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, or touching.
Thus, “whoever abstains from unlawful seeing, unlawful hearing, unlawful smelling, unlawful
tasting, and’ unlawful touching, by reason of His righteousness receives the name of “virgin. ”436
432 St. Augustine, Excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Jeremiah.
433St. Jerome, Excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Jeremiah.
434 St. Augustine, Sermon 43, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6, pp. 401-402.
435 Methodius, Discourse VI to Agathe, Ch. 2, ANF, v. 6.
436 St. Augustine, Sermon 43 (on Matthew 25:1), NPNF, s. 1, v. 6, p. 854.
Page 206
Methodius also adopts this opinions and says that these five represent the purity and
chastity of the senses. He also believes every pure soul living in such a manner should be called
virgin because she “has kept the five forms of the sense pure to Christ, as a lamp, causing the
light of holiness to shine forth clearly from each of them.” 37
VIRGINS: Is this story only to those who live a life o f virginity?
As discussed above, St. Augustine explained how the virgins relate to the entire
congregation, not just clergy or laity; and that every righteous person who guards his senses will
be called a virgin. He explains more in depth: (
The whole Church consists of virgins, and boys, and married men and married women,
which is referred to by one name called a Virgin. How can we prove this? Hear the Apostle
saying, not to the religious women only but to the whole Church together; “I have betrothed you
to One Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. ” (2 Cor. 11:2). And because
the Devil, the corrupter of this virginity, is to be guarded against, the Apostle connected this
verse with, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by His craftiness, so your
minds may be corruptedfrom the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Cor. 11:3).Few have virginity in
the body; in the heart all should have it.
St. Augustine438
Let us enter into the bridal chamber with bright torches. For entry is promised, not only
to virgins, but to virgin souls-for if it were limited merely to virgins, those five would not have
been shut out. This then belongs to all who are virgins in soul, who are freed from worldly
imaginations: for these imaginations corrupt our souls. If therefore we remain unpolluted, we
shall depart thither, and shall be accepted. “For I have betrothed you, ” he says, “to one husband,
to present you a chaste virgin to Christ. ” (2 Corinthians 11:2) Thus, he says these things not
just to virgins, but to the whole body of the entire Church. For the uncorrupt soul is a virgin,
though she has a husband: she is a virgin as to that which is Virginity indeed, that which is
worthy of admiration. For this of the body is but the accompaniment and shadow of the other:
while that is the True Virginity. This let us cultivate, and so shall we be able with cheerful
countenance to behold the Bridegroom, to enter in with bright torches, if the oil do not fail us, if
by melting down our golden ornaments we procure such oil as makes our lamps bright. And this
oil is loving-kindness.
SLEEP; I f they all skpt (and were spiritualty cold), then shouldnH they all receive tim same
punishment?
There is another sleep which no one escapes. Don’t you remember the Apostle’s saying,
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep...
Thess. 4:13)—that is, concerning them which are dead? For why are they called “those who have
fallen asleep,” but because they are in their own day? Therefore “they all slept.” Do you think

438 St. Augustine, Sermon 43 (on Matthew 25:1), NPNF, s. 1. v. 6, pp. 855-6.
439 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Hebrews, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, 1067.
Page 207
that because one is wise, he has not therefore to die? If the virgin is foolish or if she is wise, all
suffer equally the sleep of death.
St. Augustine440
MIDNIGHT: What is the $igmficance o f the time*at midnight?
Midnight is the time when which you are not aware. Why will He come when you are not
aware of it? Hear the Lord Himself, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the
Lord has put in His own authority. ” “The day o f the Lord, ” says the Apostle, “will come as a
thief in the night. ” Therefore, watch by night that you may not be surprised by the thief. For the
sleep of death will come— whether you are ready or not.
St. Augustine441
The OIL and LAMPS: What do the oil and lamps symbolize?
Many of the fathers such as St. Gregory the Great,442 St. Augustine, St. John
Chrysostom,443 and Methodius444 explained how the lamps are good works and almsgiving—the
food of Christ.
He says to His disciples, “Let your waists be girded and your lamps burning. ” The
girded waists is virginity; the “burning lamps” are good works; the oil is the God’s gift of
our conscience, which dwells in our hearts. As the Apostle says, “For our boasting is in this,
the testimony o f our conscience... ” (2 Cor. 1:12). Men can put oil into their vessels, but they
cannot create the olive. See, I have oil; but did you create the oil? It is of the gift of God. You
have oil. Carry it with you... He has broken His bread to the hungry from the heart, from the
heart has clothed the naked; out of that inward oil he has done good works, and yet in that
judgment even His good conscience trembles.
St. Augustine445
The foolish virgins, although they wished it a thousand times, were shut out from the
bridegroom, because they brought with them no bountiful charity...Our “calling” mentioned by
the Apostle, is to the bridal chamber. Since the five virgins also were called. “Arise ” it says,
“the bridegroom comes. ” (Mt. 25:6.) And they prepared themselves, but did not enter in.
Now they offered, in Leviticus, oil of this kind, “pure oil olive, beaten for the light, to
cause the lamps to bum continually, without the veil ... before the Lord. ” But they were
commanded to have a feeble light from the evening to the morning. For their light seemed to
resemble the prophetic word, which gives encouragement to temperance, being nourished by the
acts and the faith of the people. But the temple (in which the light was kept burning) refers to
“the lot o f their inheritance, ” inasmuch as a light can shine in only one house. Therefore it was
440 St. Augustine, Sermon 43 (on Matthew 25:1), NPNF, s. 1, v. 6, p. 857.

441 Ibid., p. 858.
442 St. Gregory the Great, Epistle 40, NPNF, v. 2, v. 13, p. 179.
443 St. John Chrysostom, Homily VI on 2 Tim. 2:20, NPNF, s. 1, v. 13, p. 1031.
445 St. Augustine, Sermon 43 (on Matthew 25:1), NPNF, s. 1, v. 6, p. 855 (edited).
446 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Galatians, NPNF, s. 1, v. 13, p. 105, 798.
Page 208
necessary that it should be lighted before day. For he says, “they shall burn it until the morning, ”
that is, until the coming of Christ. But the Sun of chastity and of righteousness having arisen,
there is no need of other light.
So long, then, as this people treasured up nourishment for the light, supplying oil by their
works, the light of continence was not extinguished among them, but was ever shining and
giving light in the “lot of their inheritance.” But when the oil failed, by their turning away from
the faith to incontinence, the light was entirely extinguished, so that the virgins have again to
kindle their lamps by light transmitted from one to another, bringing the light of incorruption to
the world from above. Let us then supply now the oil of good works abundantly, and of
prudence, being purged from all corruption which would weigh us down; lest, while the
Bridegroom tarries, our lamps may also in like manner be extinguished. For the delay is the
interval which precedes the appearing of Christ. Now the slumbering and sleeping of the virgins
signifies the departure from life; and the midnight is the kingdom of Antichrist, during which the
destroying angel passes over the houses. But the cry which was made when it was said, “Behold
the bridegroom comes, go out to meet Him, ” is the voice which shall be heard from heaven, and
the trumpet, when the saints, all their bodies being raised, shall be caught up, and shall go on the
clouds to meet the Lord.
For it is to be observed that the word o f God says, that after the cry all the virgins arose,
that is, that the dead shall be raised after the voice which comes from heaven, as also Paul
intimates, that “the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; “that is the
tabernacles, for they died, being put off by their souls. “Then we which are alive shall be caught
up together with them,” meaning our souls. For we truly who are alive are the souls which, with
the bodies, having put them on again, shall go to meet Him in the clouds, bearing our lamps
trimmed, not with anything alien and worldly, but like stars radiating the light of prudence and
continence, full of ethereal splendor.
Methodius447
Who am those who sell oil that the foolish were sent to?
If the oil truly represents deeds and almsgiving, as explained above, then those who sell
oil are the poor. As St. John Chrysostom says, we should constantly seek the poor for such oil
before it is too late.448 He also says that we need to have the true virginity of the soul to enter
into the bridal chamber:
If we give what we have to others, we make oil from this. Then, we will not cry, “Give us
oil, for our lamps are going out ” (Mt. 25:8), nor shall we beg from others, nor shall we be shut
out when we leave to buy oil, nor shall we hear that fearful and terrible voice while we are
knocking at the doors, “I do not know you. ” (Mt. 25:12) But He will acknowledge us, and we
shall go in with the Bridegroom, and having entered into the spiritual Bride-chamber we shall
enjoy good things innumerable...I entreat you, let us conceive some desire for those blessings,
let us long for that Bridegroom, let us be virgins as to the true Virginity. For the Lord seeks after
the virginity of the soul.

448 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, p. 991.
449 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Hebrews, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14,1067-8.
Page 209
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church I- r/?e Holy Pascha
They have bought oil, they have given the price; they have bought it, they have not been
defrauded of men’s praises, they have sought men’s praises, and have had them. These praises of
men aid them not in the judgment day. But the other virgins, how have they done? “Let your
works shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in
heaven. ” He did not say, “may glorify you.” For you have no oil of your own self. Boast and say,
“I have it;” but from Him, for “why do you boast as if you had not received it? ” (1 Cor. 4:7). So
then in this way acted the one, and in that the other.
St. Augustine450
Pmyer
How faithful have I been to You as a Bride?

Am I loving, honest, and caring as You have taught me?
Has my heart become cold for you,
My oil vanished as the foolish virgins?
O, my compassionate Redeemer
Allow me just a few moments to collect my oil.
Do not shut the door of salvation in my face.
Save me from my laziness, carelessness, and heedlessness.
450 St. Augustine, Sermon 43 (on Matthew 25:1), NPNF, s. 1, v. 6, p. 860-1.
Page 210
THE NINTH HOUR

T h e F o o lis h V irg in s R e je c ted
Hosea 9:14-10:2 Psalm 21:20-21 Matthew 23:29-36
As Fr. Pishoy Kamel writes, “The readings of this hour are a prelude to the great evil
about to take place at the hands of the chief priests through handling Jesus to be killed.”451 We
read in the following passages the rejection of the people of Israel, the foolish bride who has
remained unfaithful to God. At the same time, we also read how the Lord suffers from such
infidelity as well as His prophets and righteous people, at the hands of the wicked.
The prophesy tells of the rejection of the house of Ephraim—that their wickedness has
led the Lord to reject them and tear down their altars and pillars. Part of this prophesy will also
be discussed in the first hour of Wednesday.
The psalm speaks about the cry of the prophets, who ask for their soul to be saved from
the sword, the lion and other beasts—symbols of the Jews who were persecuting them.
The gospel reading is then read, which refer to the killing of the prophets by the people of
Israel. It is more than coincidence that this gospel and psalm readings are also read on the
commemoration of the 40 saints of Sebaste (Feb. 23), which usually falls in the middle of the
week. These saints were brutally killed as the mention in this Gospel of the killing of the
righteous prophets by the Jews. Thus this gospel provides comfort to those mourning the
righteous and demonstrates that the just judge will give each one according to his deeds.
As the exposition states, the same condemnation that the Jews faced for killing the
prophets will be faced with the Jews who plotted to kill the Messiah.
H o s e a 9:14~10:2
Give them, O L o r d - What will Y ou give? Give them a miscarrying womb And dry breasts!
15”A11 their wickedness is in Gilgal, For there I hated them. B ecause o f the evil o f their deeds I w ill drive
them from M y house; I w ill love them no m ore. A ll their p rinces are rebellious. 16Ephraim is stricken, Their
root is dried up; They shall bear no fruit. Yes, were they to bear children, I would kill the darlings o f their womb.”
17My God will cast them away, Because they did not obey Him; And they shall be wanderers among the
nations.
10: Isra el empties his vine; He brings forth fruit for himself. According to the multitude o f his fruit He has
increased the altars; According to the bounty o f his land They have embellished his sacred pillars. 2T heir heart is
divided; N ow they are held guilty. H e w ill b reak dow n their altars; H e w ill ruin their sacred pillars.
St. Jerome explained that Hosea and the other minor twelve prophets often speak of
Ephraim, Samaria, Joseph and others as prostitutes and children of prostitutes.452 Thus it is
fitting, that the Lord here begins to reject His bride due to her wicked deeds and rebellious ways.
This passage is again a symbol of the condemnation of the wicked.
When heretics wrote vicious replies condemning his teachings, St. Jerome cites Hosea
9:11 and 9:14 (partly from the Septuagint version, and partly from memory) “You are always
teaching, you are always denying; you deserve to have the prophet’s words applied to you: “give
to them glory, O Lord, when they are in travail and in the throes o f labor. Give them, O Lord;
what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.. .”453

452 St. Jerome, Letter 52 to Paulinus, NPNF, s. 2, v. 6, p. 259.
453 St. Jerome, Letter 133, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6.
Page 211
Also the life of St. Pachomius indicate he had a revelation concerning Hosea 9:15 and
some sinful brothers:
While [Pachomius] was still praying, an angel of the Lord, very terrifying, appeared to
him, having in his hand a fiery sword unsheathed. He said to our father Pachomius, “Just as God
has blotted out his Name from the Book of Life, [Ex. 32:32-33; Ps. 68:29], just so do you drive
them out from the midst of the brothers, for they are not ignorant. Indeed, even to the ignorant,
impurities of this sort seem like abominations before God.”
When it was morning he put them in worldly clothing and told them, “Go and do as is
fitting to the clothes whose practices you have made your own.” And he expelled them from
among the brothers. The words of the prophet were fulfilled about them, “I will drive them out
of my house, and I will love them no longer.”
Life of Pachomius454
Psalm 2 l:2 0 ~ 2 l
19 Rescue my soul from the sword, my life from the hand o f the dog! 21Save me from the lion’s mouth; my
afflicted soul from the horns o f the wild oxen.
“Deliver My soul” from the tongue of dissension...and from the power of the people,
barking after their custom, deliver My Church.. .Save Me from the mouth of the kingdom of this
world...and from the loftiness of the proud, exalting themselves to special pre-eminence, and
enduring no partakers, except My humility.
St. Augustine455
Matthew 2 3 :2 9 -3 6
29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs o f the prophets and adorn
the monuments o f the righteous,30 and say, ‘If we had lived in the days o f our fathers, we would not have been
partakers with them in the blood o f the prophets.’ 31 “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are
sons o f those who murdered the prophets. 32 F ill up, then, the m easu re o f you r fath ers’ g u ilt .33 Serpents, brood
o f vipers! H ow can you escape the condem nation o f hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men,
and scribes: some o f them you will kill and crucify, and some o f them you will scourge in your synagogues and
persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood o f
righteous Abel to the blood o f Zechariah, son o f Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.36
Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
How can a later generation hepunishedfor the works of their ancestors, as Christ explains?
How can a later generation be punished for the murders committed by others, concerning
whom Christ says these things? Won’t Cain be punished for the murder of Abel.. .How is it that
these poor souls will be subjected to the punishment due to these people? For God is not unjust
but is the righteous Judge, powerful and patient, according to the testimony of Scripture.
Therefore we think there is a certain intention contained with in these things that have been
spoken that applies to the present case. Let us say that they have become robbers in that land.
These men were plundering the surrounding villages and killing their inhabitants. But the prince
of the realm did not immediately strip them of the ruler’s sword. Rather, he was eager to teach
them differently through the use of threats....but I suppose someone of the last who have been
cruelly punished will say that they have received the penalty due to all...You will also
understand something such as this concerning God. For God was extremely patient in the
454 Life o f Pachomius (Bohairic), 108, CS v. 45, p. 160; A A CS OT v. 15, p. 39.

455 St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalms, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8, p. 144.
-’-in 5
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church -I'- The Holy Pascha
preceding times until He deemed it necessary to set a boundary to His longsuffering. For it was
also necessary that the divine anger fall upon these. On the one hand, they continued to sin
against people and their fellow servants. On the other hand, they killed the Lord of all. This is
not the reason that He harshly punished the last ones, but it is astonishing that He has borne
patiently with them to the present time.
Who is Zachariah sm of Berachtah ?
St. Jerome thinks that in his time there were three options as to who this Zachariah is
mentioned here:
1- The prophet Zachariah was one of the minor prophets, even though his father’s name
is in the accordance with the Lord’s words. But the Book did not mention anything about the
shedding of his blood between the temple and the altar, particularly because the temple at his
time was merely in ruins.
2- Some others think he is Zachariah John the Baptist’s father, who has been killed
because of his prophecy about the Saviors’ coming. But St. Jerome does not accept this
suggestion.
3- He is Zachariah killed by Joach king of Judea as mentioned in 2 Chr. 24:21. But his
father’s name is mentioned in the Holy Book was Jehoioda. St. Jerome believes that man had
two names: Berachia, meaning ‘blessing’ or ‘blessed from the Lord,’ and Jehoiada meaning
‘holiness.’ This is why St. Jerome supports this opinion.
Exposition
Christ paints a sad picture o f the conduct and the compartment o f the Pharisees. He admonishes them in an
unmistakable way for carrying on the same questionable traditions o f their predecessors and even surpassed them.
Their predecessors slew the prophets and saints. Their successors built the tombs o f these prophets. They were the
snakes bom o f serpents. They will not escape their deeds. They will be charged with the blood o f these saints; from
the blood o f Abel to the blood o f Zechariah whom they slew between the sanctuary and the altar. All these
preceding tribulation will fall on this generation because they all had conspired to kill the Son o f God. That is why
God scattered them all over the earth, their enemies dominated them their heritage was given to others and their
dwellings became desolate.
456 St. Cyril o f Alexandria, Fragment 261, A C CS New Testament IB, p. 181, citing Mattaus-Kommentare aus der
griechischen Kirche, Ed. Joseph Reus, pp. 241-2.
457 See Fr. Tadros Malaty, Patristic Commentary on Matthew, Ch. 23.
Page 213
T he Eleventh H our
T he W ise Bride
Wisdom 7:24-30 Psalm 56:1 John 11:55-57
During this hour we see the ray of hope for us. As we read about the wise virgins in the
third and sixth hours, here we focus on the wisdom that distinguishes the wise virgin from the
foolish virgin.
We first read from the book of Wisdom, itself, to understand the qualities of wisdom,
how it “pervades and penetrates all things, ” how it is the “power o f God, ” “the glory o f the
Pantocrator” and the reflection of His image and goodness. How can we not seek this for our
lives?
The Psalm speaks to us about the Cross; while in the gospel and the exposition, we hear
how the Jews began to prepare to kill our Lord. This then sets the stage for the next day, in
which Judas will betray His Master and Lord.
W isd om 7:24-3 0
24 For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because o f her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.25
For she is a breath o f the power o f God, and a pure emanation o f the glory o f the Pantocrator; therefore nothing
defiled gains entrance into her.26For she is a reflection o f eternal light, a spotless mirror o f the working o f God, and
an image o f His goodness.27 Although she is but one, she can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she
renews all things; in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends o f God, and prophets;28 for
God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.29 She is more beautiful than the sun, and excels
every constellation o f the stars. Compared with the light she is found to be superior,30 for it is succeeded by the
night, but against wisdom evil does not prevail.
The Scholar Origen speaks of verses 25 and 26 as definitions and attributes of the
Wisdom God—His power, glory, brightness, effort, and goodness.458
St. Augustine explains how the reference in v. 26 to the “eternal light ” can only be the
light-living Light who created the Light itself in Genesis, who is God Himself.459 He also
mentions how this Light appears not only to the righteous but to the wicked, just as the Sun of
Righteousness mentioned in Malachi 4:2.460
P s a l m 56:1
1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in You my soul takes refuge; in the shadow o f You
wings I will take refuge, until iniquity passes by.
This psalm is read during the sixth hour of the Agpeya, as it is directly related to the
Passion of Christ. St. Augustine explains:
Christ in the Passion says, “Have mercy on Me, O God. "T o God, God says, “Have
mercy on Me!” He that with the Father has mercy on you, in you cries, “Have mercy on Me.”
For that part of Him which is crying, “Have mercy on Me,” is yours: from you He received this,
for the sake of you, that you should be delivered, with Flesh He was clothed. The flesh itself
cries: “Have mercy on Me, O God, have mercy on me:” Man himself, soul and flesh....to this
458 The Scholar Origen, On the First Principles, Book 2, ANF, v. 4, p. 518.
459 St. Augustine, Reply to Faustus, Book 22, NPNF, s. 1, v. 4.
460 St. Augustine, Sermon on the Mount, Book 1, Ch. 23, §79, NPNF, s. 1, v. 4.
■*
end He suffered, in order that He might teach how to suffer; to this end He rose again, in order
that He might teach how to hope for rising again.
“And in the shadow o f Your wings I will hope, until iniquity pass over. ” This now
evidently whole Christ does say: here is also our voice. For not yet has passed over, still rife is
iniquity. And in the end our Lord Himself said there should be an abounding of iniquity: “And
since iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold; but he that shall have persevered
unto the end, the same shall be saved.” But who shall persevere even unto the end, even until
iniquity pass over? He that shall have been in the Body of Christ, he that shall have been in the
members of Christ, and from the Head shall have learned the patience of persevering. You pass
away, and behold passed are your temptations; and you go into another life whither have gone
holy men, if holy you have been. Into another life have gone Martyrs if Martyr you will have
been, you also go into another life. Because “you” have passed away hence, has by any means
iniquity therefore passed away? There are bom other unrighteous men, as there die some
unrighteous men. In like manner therefore as some unrighteous men die and others are bom: so
some just men go, and others are bom. Even unto the end of the world neither iniquity will be
wanting to oppress, nor righteousness to suffer.
St. Augustine461
J ohn 11:55-57
55Now the Passover o f the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover
to purify them selves.56 They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, “What
do you think? Surely He will not come to the festival, will He?” 57Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given
orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest Him.
This is the second time it is mentioned in the Gospel of John that the Jews desired to
seize him during a feast. The first, in the Feast of the Tabernacles, they asked where He was and
sent a delegation to capture Him (John 7). Here, they desire to seize Him during the Feast of the
Passover. St. John Chrysostom demonstrates their intense hatred:
Excellent tmly the good deeds at their feasts they are eager for murder, and wish to seize
Him even during the feast. At least, in another place they speak thus, “Think you that He will not
come to the feast?” (John 11:56); and here they said, “Where is He?” Through their excessive
hatred and enmity they would not even call Him by name. Great was their reverence towards the
feast, great their caution. By occasion of the very feast they wished to entrap Him!...
By means of the Passover they plotted against Him, and made the time of feasting a time
of murder, that is, He there would fall into their hands, because the season summoned Him. What
impiety! When they needed greater carefulness, and to forgive those who had been taken for the
worst offenses, then they attempted to ensnare One who had done no wrong. Yet by acting thus
they had already not only profited nothing, but become ridiculous. For this end coming among
them continually He escapes, and restrains them when they take counsel to kill Him, and
confuses them, desiring to prick them by the display of His power; that when they took Him,
they might know that what had been done was done, not by their power, but by His permission.
For not even at that time could they take Him, and this though Bethany was near; and when they
did take Him, He cast them backwards.
St. John Chrysostom 462
461 St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalms, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8, pp. 499-500.

462 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on John 7, 11 NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, pp. 401, 545.
Page 215
Some who seek Him are blamed, others who do so are commended.. .Therefore let us
seek for Christ, that He may be ours, that we may keep Him, and not that we may slay Him.
St. Augustine463
Exposition
It was the tradition o f the Jews, that as it became near the days o f the Passover, the multitudes would go up
to the mountain from the hamlets to Jerusalem to purge themselves. When they ascended the mountain as usual they
did not see Jesus go up. They said to one another, “maybe he will not come to the feast.” The hypocrites were
conniving their vicious plots because the high priests, the Pharisees, and the elders had asked the people tot lead
them to His location, if it were known, in order to arrest Him. O what foolishness and stupidity o f these evil people
who wanted to bait the Omnipotent, the Source o f all power. Because o f their opposition, He will chain them and
assign them to Hell, the place o f suffering.
463 St. Augustine, Commentary on John 11, Tractate L, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7, p. 560.
Page 216
ri The Holy Pascha
C h ap ter 10
H o ly W edn esday
“K isses of Love and B etrayal"

The icon above is that o f the sinful woman at the house o f Simon, not o f Mary in Bethany, but is inserted here to
remind us also o f her love, repentance, and humility.
Page 217
This is another day of extremes. In this day, we read of the extreme love that Mary of
Bethany—how much she sacrificed her livelihood to anoint Him for His burial. At the same
time, we witness the betrayal of one of Christ’s disciples that He chose, raised and taught for
over three years.
According to church tradition, kisses and greetings are forbidden from the First Hour of
the Eve of Thursday (Wednesday night) until the end of the Divine Liturgy on Bright Saturday.
This is to remember the betrayal of Christ by Judas with a kiss. In some churches, this day is
even referred to as “Spy Wednesday” because this was the day of the great betrayal.
In the gospel readings, we read of the contrast between Mary and Judas—of love and
betrayal. Mary placed very expensive perfume on the feet of Christ; while Judas sold His Master
and Savior of the world for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave at that time; roughly $20 in
today’s currency. 464 The first hour focuses on the plotting of the chief priests and Pharisees; the
third, sixth and ninth hours all discuss the betrayal of Judas as well as his frustration of Mary and
her great sacrifice for the Lord. The eleventh hour speaks of the Lord’s glory.
To continue along the Paschal theme, there is joy within sadness and sadness in the midst
of joy in these very two stories. The anointing of Christ’s feet was a joyous act of thanksgiving
for restoring her brother to life; while at the same time a foreshadowing of Christ’s death and
burial. As they celebrating the welcoming of their brother, they were saying farewell to their
Savior.
Wisdom continues to be a theme in this day, for it contrasts with the actions of Judas and
the Jews. We see theme of the wise virgin returning again in the example of Mary, for truly she
was the wise virgin that poured love for our Lord.
Judas had criticized her for wasting the cost of this perfume on Christ by saying it could
have been used for the poor. But Christ encourages her work and service for Him, for she had
done this for His burial. Mary gave out of her heart; Judas had criticized her out of His
selfishness. Mary sacrificed her life and all her money for Christ; Judas stole from the money
box and betrayed Him for 30 silver coins. Mary acted out of loyalty; Judas out of betrayal. He
focused on money and discourages her service to the Lord; Mary symbolizes serving the poor
while at the His feet. So, Judas also sought opportunity to betray our Lord.
In the prophesies, we continue with the story of Moses and the Israelites in the
wilderness. In the first hour prophesy, the Israelites complain that there is no water to drink.
After we see their lack of faith, the remaining prophesies remind us of how faithful God was to
them in their escape from Egypt. In the third hour, we read of the first instance where God the
Israelites a guides His people with a cloud of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night. In the
Sixth Hour, we are reminded of how the children of Israel miraculously escaped from the hands
of Pharaoh and His army when crossing the Red Sea. Despite all of these blessings and rescues,
the people continue to complain that they don’t have figs, vines, fruit or water in the prophesy of
the ninth hour. Finally, the eleventh hour speaks of the glory of the Lord and His kingdom.
We also see in the symbolism of the Jewish cities in the prophesies story of the Israelites
many symbols of sin and repentance. This reminds us of the sin of Judas with the love of the
woman who poured the oil. In the first hour, we see the people of Israel in Ephraim, the land of
fruitfulness; in the third hour in Etham, in the wilderness where the fruit has ended—for Satan
has entered into Judas and he is fruitless. In the sixth hour we hear of the unrighteousness of the
house of Jacob from Judah in the prophesy; yet we see the Lord in this hour and the ninth in
464
Packer, J. 1997, cl995. Nelson’s Illustrated Manners and Customs o f the Bible (Pages 523-524). Thomas Nelson:
Nashville
Page 218
Bethany, the land of obedience. In the eleventh hour, the Lord finally reaches Jerusalem, the
place of submission and sacrifice.
This progression teaches us the stages of the spiritual life. We begin in Ephraim, an area
that is fruitful, yet near the wilderness or hill country. Those, who seek the Lord in Ephraim will
find fruit and satisfaction for their souls and bodies. However, those who do not go to Ephraim
will go to Etham (as mentioned in the third hour), which is a symbol of the evil man that depends
on his own strength, virtue, and efforts. He will end up like Judas, betraying his Master.
However, to obtain this fruit, we must first go to Bethany, to pour our hearts at the feet of our
Lord in the form of rich oil, and then go to Jerusalem to carry our Cross. Let us begin with this
wonderful journey.
HOUR 1st 3rd 6t h .............. .. ” gth 11th

Them e A t Ephraim: A t Etham: At Bethany: At Bethany: A t Jerusalem:
The land o f The Betrayal The oil The oil Prayer of
F ruit Submission
P ro p h e sie s E x. 17:1-7; E x. 13:17-23 E x. 14:13-15:1 Gen. 24:1-9 Is. 28:16-29
Prov. 3:5-14; Sir. 22:7-18 Is. 48:1-6 N um . 20:1-13
Hos. 5:13-6 Jo b 27:16-28:2 Sir. 23:7-19 Prov. 1:10-32
Sir. 1:16-3:23 Prov. 4 :4 -5 :4 Is. 59:1-17
Zech. 11:11-14
Serm on St. Shenouda
P salm 5 0 :4 ,3 2 :1 40:6,1 82:2-5 40:5,7,6 6:2,3; 68:17
G osp el John 11:46-57 Luke 22:1-6 John 12:1-8 Mt. 26:3-16 John 12:27-36
Page 219
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church ■
I The Holy Pascha
________________________________ A t E p h r a im *________________________________
Ex. 17:1-7; Prov. 3:5-14; Hos. 5:13-6; Sir. 1:16-3:23
Ps. 50:4,32:1 John 11:46-57
As the Passover approached, the Jews determined among themselves to put the Lord to
death. He, knowing this, retreated to a city in the wilderness known as Ephraim. We read this
passage in the gospel. This Ephraim spoken of in John 11:54 was located in the wilderness, and
was also mentioned in 2 Sam. 13:23. It is identified as modem et-Taiyibeh, about 6 km. (4 mi.)
northeast of Bethel.465
There is another Ephraim mentioned in Hosea and in Numbers, as the territory allotted to
the tribe of Ephraim in the promised land (Num. 1:33). Thus the land and its people were called
“fruitful” or “twice fruitful” in Hebrew. However, it is not certain whether this was the same
city mentioned in John.
Although the land was fruitful, Hosea prophesies that its joyful harvest will end and it
will bear no more fruit under God’s judgment (Hos. 9:1; Deu. 28:38-42). Thus they would lose
the fruit of their land as well as their children because they served two masters, lied to God, and
worshipped idols. (Hos. 9:1-12). This reading also prophesies of the Lord’s resurrection and our
resurrection with Him.
Then, we see how the land of Israel, destined for fruitfulness and blessing by the Lord,
was turned desolate when it rejected the Lord and plotted His death. Truly, the people of Israel
lacked this wisdom spoken of in Proverbs.
As Fr. Pishoy Kamel writes: “The Jews committed the same sin. If they knew that He
was the Lord among them, they would not have done this great evil. And for you, Judas, is this
the Lord’s worth in your eyes? Thirty pieces of silver? Haven’t you heard the second prophesy
from the Book of Proverbs, which speaks about the true wisdom? “For her proceeds are better
than the profits o f silver and her gain than fine gold” (Prov. 3:5-14). You, Judas, must have
thought of this in your heart—when you were possessed by Satan. You must have said that He
was not your Lord and that the thirty pieces of silver must be more valuable than Him!”466
So, we understand that we must seek the Lord and His righteousness as the source of our
fruit. If we do not, we will become desolate and wander aimlessly as the children of Israel did—
those who complained to Moses for water and tested the Lord (Ex. 17:2). The foolish Jews did
not understand that the Lord was their rock, their fortress, their refuge.
E x o d u s 17:1-7
Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin,
according to the commandment of the L o r d , and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to
drink. 2Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “G ive us w ater, that w e m ay d rin k .” And Moses
said to them, “Why do you contend with me? W h y do you tem p t the L o r d ? ” 3And the people thirsted there for
water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us
and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4So Moses cried out to the L o r d , saying, “W h at shall I do w ith
this people? They are almost ready to stone me!” 5And the L o r d said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take
with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go.
6Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of
465Packer, J. 1997, c l995. Nelson’s Illustrated Manners and Customs o f the Bible, Thomas Nelson: Nashville, p.
710.
466 Fr. Pishoy Kamel, From Jerusalem to Golgotha, pp. 44-45.
Page 220
*-■
it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight o f the elders o f Israel. 7So he called the name o f the
place Massah and Meribah, because o f the contention o f the children o f Israel, and because they tempted the L o r d ,
saying, “Is the L o r d among us or not?”
In this passage, the people of Israel passed from the wilderness of Sin, to camp at
Dophkah, then Alush, and from there to Rephidim. The Scholar Origen interprets these
locations allegorically, and describes this journey as that of the believer from the land of slavery
to freedom as children of God. He says this journey consists of four stages: traveling from the
land of ‘Sin ’ or “temptation” to the city of ‘Dophkah’—which means and represent “good
health,” according to Origen—only after becoming purified through the good “works”
represented in ‘A lush’ and the “wise discernment” symbolized by ‘Rephidim.’ As he says:
“Whoever gets out of temptation with a good ordinance, would appear sound, on the day of
judgment, namely, in good shape, not hurt by the wounds of temptation; or, according to the
Book of Revelation: “To him who overcomes, I will give to eat from the tree o f life, which is in
the midst o f the paradise o f God” (Rev. 2:7).”
The rock here is a symbol of our Lord Jesus Christ, as the apostle says, “All ate o f the
same spiritual food, and all drank o f the same spiritual drink. For they drank o f that spiritual
rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:3, 4). The water symbolizes the
work of the Holy Spirit: As St. Ambrose says: “Grace is stronger than nature: Moses strikes the
sea with his rod, and it divides; touches the rock, and water comes out; and cast a tree in bitter
water, and it becomes sweet...That is the exalted, and supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in the
Church!”
And as St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, says: “Whoever forsakes the love of the world
(symbolically the Egyptians, drowned in the sea), tastes the sweetness through the tree; enjoys
the apostolic wells, and the shade of the palm trees, would be able to receive God; as the Rock
here, according to the apostle, is Christ; which is, for unbelievers, hard and solid; but for him,
who uses the rod of faith, it would be a spring to quench his thirst; having said:6We will come to
him and make our home with him” (John 14: 23).” Thus, once the Lord Christ (our Rock) is
crucified for us (and is struck by the rod), once for the salvation of all (Heb. 7:27), we are able to
drink of the sweetness the blood (the atonement) and the water (purification) of His Love
through the Holy Spirit.
The people asked “is the Lord among us or not? ” the very same cry which was by Judas
and the Jews, for the Lord was among them, but they neither believed nor comprehended.
Proverbs 3:5-14
T rust in the L o r d w ith all you r heart, A nd lean not on you r ow n understanding; 6In all you r w ays
acknow ledge H im , A n d H e shall d irect you r paths.
7D o not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the L o r d and depart from evil. 8It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones.
9Honor the L o r d with your possessions, And with the first fruits o f all your increase; 10So your bams will
be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 M y son, do not despise the ch asten in g o f the L o r d , N or detest H is correction; 12F or w hom the
L o r d loves H e corrects, Ju st as a father the son in whom he delights.
13Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; 14For her proceeds are
better than the profits o f silver, And her gain than fine gold.
When St. Clement of Alexandria commented on this passage, he related the theme of
wisdom to Moses:
Page 221
By these remarks [Solomon] wants to show us that our deeds should conform to reason
and that we should select and possess what is useful out of all culture. Now the ways of wisdom
are various that lead right to the way of truth. Faith is the way...When Moses, convinced that
God is not to be known by human wisdom, said, “Show me Your glory ” and into the thick
darkness where God’s voice was, pressed to enter—that is, into the inaccessible and invisible
ideas respecting Existence. For God is not in darkness or in place, but above both space and time,
and qualities of objects.
H o s e a s ? 1 3 - 6 :3
13 “W h en E phraim saw his sickness A n d Ju d ah saw his w ou n d T hen E phraim w en t to A ssyria And
sent to King Jareb; Yet he cannot cure you, Nor heal you o f your wound. 14 F or I w ill be like a lion to E p h raim ,
A n d like a you n g lion to the house o f Judah. I, even I, w ill tear them and go away; I w ill take them aw ay, and
no one shall rescue. 151 will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My
face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”
6:1 C om e, and let us return to the LO R D ; For He has tom, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He
will bind us up. 2 A fter two days H e w ill revive us; O n the third day H e w ill raise us up, That we may live in His
sight.
3 Let us know Let us pursue the knowledge o f the LORD His going forth is established as the morning H
will come to us like the rain Like the latter and former rain to the earth.
This prophesy begins by speaking of Ephraim, who went to the Assyrians and sent
ambassadors to the King Jarim. Many of the fathers believe that Ephraim’s visit to King Jarim
symbolizes our Lord’s visit to King Herod during His sufferings and trials.
As mentioned above, the word “Ephraim” means “fruitful” or “twice fruitful” in Hebrew.
Not only was there a tribe of Judah named Ephraim, but also this name was given to the territory
allotted to its tribe (Num. 1:33). Although the land was originally fruitful, it lost its fruit due to
the disobedience and wickedness of the people, as prophesied in Hos. 9:1-12 and Deu. 28:38-42.
St. Augustine among other fathers, explains how Ephraim symbolizes Christ our Lord,
who was the seed placed in the earth during His Passion, produced its grain in the Cross, and
bore the first fruits in the Resurrection. St. Jerome also says that "Jarim ” means “a wild-vine”
and King Herod was not of the shoots of the vine of Israel, but was a wild vine, or a foreigner.
He also says that the pledge of friendship:
“My is Manasses, and Ephraim the strength o f My Head. ” Ephraim is interpreted

fruitfulness. My, He says, is fruitfulness, and this fruitfulness is the strength of My Head. For My
Head is Christ. And whence is fruitfulness the strength of Him? Because unless a grain were to
fall into the earth, it would not be multiplied, alone it would remain. Fall then to earth did Christ
in His Passion, and there followed fruit-bearing in the Resurrection. He was hanging and was
being despised: the grain was within, it had powers to draw after it all things. How in a grain do
numbers of seeds lie hid, something abject it appears to the eyes, but a power turning into itself
matter and bringing forth fruit is hidden; so in Christ’s Cross virtue was hidden, there appeared
weakness. O mighty grain! Doubtless weak is He that hangs, Doubtless before Him that people
did wag the head, Doubtless they said, “If Son of God He is, let Him come down from the
Cross.” Hear the strength of Him: that which is a weak thing of God, is stronger than men. With
reason so great fruitfulness has followed: “it is my,” says the Church.
St. Augustine 468
467 St. Clement o f Alexandria, Stromata, Book 2, Ch. 2, ANF, v. 2.

468St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalm 40, NPNF, s. 1, v. 3, p. 246.
Page 222
Christ the Lord Himself therefore in His own person, says, “I gave My back to the
scourges, and My cheeks to the palms, I turned not away My face from shame and spitting. ” This
also is written among His other sufferings, that they bound Him, and led Him away to Pilate.
This also the Prophet foretold, saying, “And they bound Him and conducted Him as a pledge of
friendship (xenium) to King Jarim. " But some one objects, “But Pilate was not a king. ” Hear
then what the Gospel relates next, “Pilate hearing that He was from Galilee, sent Him to Herod,
who was king in Israel at that time. ” And rightly does the Prophet add the name “Jarim, ” which
means “a wild-vine, for Herod was not of the house of Israel, nor of that Israelite vine which the
Lord had brought out of Egypt, and “planted in a very fruitful hill, ” but was a wild vine, i.e. of
an alien stock. Rightly, therefore, was he called “a wild-vine, ” because he in nowise sprung from
the shoots of the vine of Israel. And whereas the Prophet used the phrase “xenium, ” “A pledge of
friendship, ” this also corresponds, “For Herod and Pilate, ” as the Gospel witnesses, “from
being enemies were made friends,” and, as though in token of their reconciliation, each sent
Jesus bound to the other. What matter, so long as Jesus, as Savior, reconciles those who were at
variance, and restores peace, and also brings back concord!”
St. Jerome469
This is a great passage for repentance and of suffering, for how appropriate is this to
discuss, when we are focusing on the Passion of the Lord? How can we turn to the Lord, to seek
Him? This passage also explains how we will be revived in two days.. .therefore on the third day
we will be revived through His resurrection.
W isd o m of S ir a c h 1:16-5:2 3
16 To fear the Lord is fullness o f wisdom; she inebriates mortals with her fruits;17 she fills their whole house
with desirable goods, and their storehouses with her produce.18The fear o f the Lord is the crown o f wisdom, making
peace and perfect health to flourish. 19 She rained down knowledge and discerning comprehension, and she
heightened the glory o f those who held her fast. 20 To fear the Lord is the root o f wisdom, and her branches are long
life.22 Unjust anger cannot be justified, for anger tips the scale to one’s ruin.23 Those who are patient stay calm until
the right moment, and then cheerfulness comes back to them24 They hold back their words until the right moment;
then the lips o f many tell o f their good sense. 25 In the treasuries o f wisdom are wise sayings, but godliness is an
abomination to a sinner. 26 I f you desire w isdom , keep the com m andm ents, and the L ord w ill lavish her upon
you. 27 F or the fear o f the L ord is w isdom and discipline, fidelity and hum ility are his delight. 28 Do not
disobey the fear o f the Lord; do not approach H im w ith a divided m ind. 29 D o not be a hypocrite before
others, and keep w atch over your lip s.30 Do not exalt yourself, or you may fall and bring dishonor upon yourself.
The L ord w ill reveal you r secrets and overthrow you before the w hole congregation, because you did not
com e in the fear o f the L ord, and your heart w as full o f deceit.
Duties toward God (Jas 1.2—4, 12—16; Wis 3.1—9)
2 My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing.2 Set your heart right and be
steadfast, and do not be im petuous in tim e o f c a la m ity . 3 Cling to Him and do not depart, so that your last days
may be prosperous.4 A ccept w hatever befalls you, and in times o f humiliation be patient.5 For gold is tested in the
fire, and those found acceptable, in the furnace o f humiliation.6 Trust in H im , and H e w ill help you; m ake your
w ays straight, and hope in H im . 7 You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; do not stray, or else you may fall.8
You who fear the Lord, trust in Him, and your reward will not be lost. 9 You who fear the Lord, hope for good
things, for lasting joy and m ercy.10Consider the generations o f old and see: has anyone trusted in the Lord and been
disappointed? Or has anyone persevered in the fear o f the Lord and been forsaken? Or has anyone called upon Him
and been neglected?11 For the Lord is compassionate and merciful;
He forgives sins and saves in time o f distress. 12 Woe to timid hearts and to slack hands, and to the sinner who
walks a double path!13 Woe to the fainthearted who have no trust! Therefore they will have no shelter.14Woe to you
who have lost your nerve! What will you do when the Lord’s reckoning comes? 15 Those who fear the Lord do not
disobey his words, and those who love him keep his ways.16Those who fear the Lord seek to please him, and those
469 St. Jerome, Commentary on the Apostles Creed, NPNF, s. 2, v. 3, p. 1133.
Page 223
who love him are filled with his law.17 Those who fear the Lord prepare their hearts, and humble themselves before
him. Let us fall into the hands o f the Lord, but not into the hands o f mortals; for equal to his majesty is his mercy,
and equal to his name are his works.6
Duties toward Parents (Ex 20.12; Deut 5.16; Eph 6.1—3)
3 Listen to me your father, O children; act accordingly, that you may be kept in safety. 2 For the Lord honors a
father above his children, and he confirms a mother’s right over her children.3 Those who honor their father atone
for sins, 4and those who respect their mother are like those who lay up treasure.5 Those who honor their father will
have joy in their own children, and when they pray they will be heard. 6 Those who respect their father will have
long life, and those who honora their mother obey the Lord; 7they will serve their parents as their masters. 8 Honor
your father by word and deed, that his blessing may come upon you.9 For a father’s blessing strengthens the houses
o f the children, but a mother’s curse uproots their foundations.10 Do not glorify yourself by dishonoring your father,
for your father’s dishonor is no glory to you.11 The glory o f one’s father is one’ s own glory, and it is a disgrace for
children not to respect their mother. 12My child, help your father in his old age, and do not grieve him as long as he
lives;13 even if his mind fails, be patient with him; because you have all your faculties do not despise him.14 For
kindness to a father will not be forgotten, and will be credited to you against your sins;15 in the day o f your distress it
will be remembered in your favor; like frost in fair weather, your sins will melt away.16Whoever forsakes a father is
like a blasphemer, and whoever angers a mother is cursed by the Lord.
Humility (Mt 20.26—28; P M 2.3—8)
17 My child, perform your tasks with humility; then you will be loved by those whom God accepts.18The greater
you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight o f the Lord.20 For great is the might
o f the Lord; but by the humble he is glorified21 Neither seek what is too difficult for you, nor investigate what is
beyond your power 22 Reflect upon what you have been commanded, for what is hidden is not your concern.23 Do
not meddle in matters that are beyond you, for more than you can understand has been shown you.
H o m il y of S t. S h e n o u d a the A r c h i m a n d r i t e
I tell you this and confirm it. Do not imagine that after cutting the wheat from the chaff, that the sinners
will have relief. I say to you that according to the testimony o f the Books. As for the angels and archangels, they
will remain silent. So also will the saints be. A n d the ju d gm en t for G od w ill be decisive and final in the day
w h ere they p ick out the evil doers from am ong the righteous; the tim e w hen the sinners are throw n into the
hearth o f bu rn ing fire. Does God need a counselor or a companion to advise Him like us? What can God forget
that someone else may remember? Or [who] can ask God about anything else other than these words? that it may be
said in one voice, ‘Your rules are just, O Lord, who rewards everyone according to his deeds.’ We cannot remind
God o f these things. Rather, it is He, the Father o f all mercies, Who remembers.
P salm 5 0:4, 32:10

4 That you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged. 10 The Lo
frustrates the counsels o f the nations and brings the plans o f the peoples to nothing.
This psalm chanted here is again a prophesy of those who plot against the Lord and judge
Him. It foretells exactly the story which is told us regarding the Jews and Caiphas. As St.
Augustine explains, “The Psalmist sees the future Judge to be judged, the Just One judged by
sinners. But He conquered because “in Him was nothing to be judged. For alone among men
could truly say the God-Man, “I f you have found in Me sin, say. ” But perhaps there was what
escaped men, and they found not what was really there, but was not manifest.. .”470
JOHN 1 1 :4 6 - 5 7
46 But some o f them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 47 Then the chief priests
and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him
alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”
49 And one o f them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you
consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should
perish.” 51 N o w this he did not say on his ow n authority; b u t bein g high p riest that year he p rop h esied that
Jesus w ou ld die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the
470St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalms, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8.
Page 224
children o f God who were scattered abroad.53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. 54 Therefore
Jesus no lon ger w alked op en ly am ong the Jew s, b ut w en t from there into the country near the wilderness* to a
city called E p h raim , and there rem ain ed w ith H is d iscip les. 55 And the Passover o f the Jews was near, and many
went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought Jesus, and
spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think-that He will not come to the feast?” 57
N o w both the ch ief priests and the P harisees had given a com m an d , that if anyone k new w h ere H e w as, he
should rep ort it, that they m ight seize H im .
Bethany was just over the hill from Jerusalem. A few weeks earlier, Christ had come at
Martha and Mary’s request to raise their brother Lazarus from the dead. After this great event,
He had avoided Jerusalem because the Jewish authorities became determined to arrest Him.
Christ spent the entire day alone in Bethany before the great day of redemption. Perhaps
the family had tried to hide Christ secretly, for they realized that there was danger in harboring
this wanted Man. As the Jews separated the Passover lamb until its slaughter day, Jesus rested in
Bethany during that day before offering Himself to be slaughtered.
Martha had expressed her gratitude to Christ for resurrecting her brother from the dead by
preparing a meal for Him. Mary takes it upon herself to perform an unthinkable act of love. She
first takes a very expensive flask of perfume. This alabaster flask, alone, was precious. So much
so that once used, it could never be used again because the neck of the flask had to be broken to
release the perfume. Even more precious was the perfume, harboring a special aroma worth
fortunes that came from the Himalayas. It was worth 300 dinari—a family could have lived for a
year on the price of this perfume. Mary goes even further. She does not even allow a servant to
wash His feet, but personally anoints Him out of her love and humility—exactly what Christ
would teach His disciples the following evening!
It is in this passage that we understand that the glory of our Lord lies in the Cross. Here,
our Lord explains that the hour is coming in which the Son of Man shall be glorified. St.
Augustine explained that the Lord retreated to Ephraim, not because He lacked power to
continue speaking with the Jews without injury.
Even though by angels in heaven He had been glorified by everlasting, yet nevertheless
His Cross was the beginning of His being glorified upon earth by the Gentiles as God.
But in His human weakness He furnished His disciples with an example of living, by
which He might make it manifest that it was no sin in His believing ones, who are His members,
to withdraw from the presence of their persecutors, and escape the fury of the wicked by
concealment, rather than inflame it by showing themselves openly.
St. Augustine 472
An Alabaster Flask
471 St. Cyril o f Alexandria, Commentary on John, v. p. 146.

472 St. Augustine, Tractate 49 on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7, p. 278.
Page 225
Satan Enters J udas

Ex. 13:17-23; Sir. 22:7-18;473 Prov. 4:4-5:4 ; Ps. 40:6,1 ; Lk. 22:1-6
In the previous hour, we read about the plotting of the Jews against the Lord, and their
dealing with Judas. Here, we see how Satan then enters Judas in their further discussion about
how to kill the Holy One. Thus, this hour is solely focused on the character of Judas.
First the contrast between God’s protection for His people and Judas appears in Exodus.
As Fr. Pishoy Kamel says, “God cares for His people so much that He walks before them and
looks after them. When the enemy draws near His people He comes in the middle to protect
them from the hands of the enemies. But you, Judas, intervened between your Savior and the
chief priests, not to make peace, but to be the one that handed the Lord to them and betrayed
your word of honor.” 474
In Exodus we hear of the city of Etham, which is symbolic of the strong man who does
not trust in the Lord, and forewshadows the fall of Judas.
In Sirach, the church compares Judas to a fool, and how he is worthy of death: “He who
talks with a slumber talks with a fool Worse than death is the life o f a fool...D o not talk much
with a foolish person or visit and intelligent person. Stay clear o f him or you may have
trouble... ” It also tells us that the fool will be mourned for His entire life—just as today we still
commemorate the error of Judas in the church, as a reminder for us to cling to wisdom.
In Proverbs, we are given an appeal to love wisdom (4:6), so that we are in the image of
the woman with the oil, not Judas. We are also warned here not to enter into the way of evil
doers or walk with the wicked as Judas did (4:14).
The Psalm also speaks of Judas, as the one who “gathers iniquity to himself.” It even
exposes the vain excuse given later on by Judas, who criticized Mary, the sister of Martha and
Lazarus, for pouring the oil on our Lord. He pretended as if he would use the money for the
poor. But this psalm declares that the true blessed man will look after the poor.. .but Judas was
neither.
Finally, the gospel tells of the betrayal of Judas.
E x o d u s 13*17~2 2
17 Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land
of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see
war, and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the
children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt. 19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with
him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall
carry up my bones from here with you.” 20 So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the
edge of the wilderness.21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by
night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22 He did not take away the pillar of
cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.
Among, other alternative explanations to the name of Etham,475 Saint Augustine relates
the city of Etham to the devil, or one that is bound by him. He explains that “Etham” means
“strong” or “stout” and symbolizes the devil, just as the strong man who bound the man in the
473 Although some include Job 27:16-28:2 here, it does not seem to be relevant here and was not included.
474 Fr. Pishoy Kamel, FTG, p. 45.
475 Origen believes the city represents the “sign”—or the sign of the Lord’s presence by the cloud and pillar of fire.
Page 226
parable of our Lord. Thus, Etham is a symbol of the strong man who does not trust in the Lord,
but in his own will and the strength of his own arm. He will fall into sin by relying on his own
virtue; while the righteous man confesses his weakness and puts his strength in the Lord.
Understood in this final interpretation, Etham symbolizes the fall of Judas due to strength in his
self.476
The name of Etham is also very similar to Ephraim, discussed in the last hour. Another
interpretation from Etham is “sea-bound,” for the city apparently was located north of Timsah
Lake, Seba Biar or the Seven Wells.477 But the city was known to be the beginning of the
wilderness, the place where cultivable land ceases, the place of no fruit. 478 Following St.
Augustine’s interpretation then, when man reaches the sin of pride and reliance on self-virtue, he
will remain without the fruit of the Holy Spirit and salvation.
S irach 22:7~18
7Children who are brought up in a good life, conceal the lowly birth of their parents. 8Children who are
disdainfully and boorishly haughty stain the nobility of their kindred. 9Whoever teaches a fool is like one who glues
potsherds together, or who rouses a sleeper from deep slumber.10Whoever tells a story to a fool tells it to a drowsy
man; and at the end he will say, “What is it?” 11Weep for the dead, for he has left the light behind; and weep for the
fool, for he has left intelligence behind. Weep less bitterly for the dead, for he is at rest; but the life of the fool is
worse than death.12Mourning for the dead lasts seven days, but for the foolish or the ungodly it lasts all the days of
their lives. 13Do not talk much with a senseless person or visit an unintelligent person. Stay clear of him, or you may
have trouble, and be spattered when he shakes himself off. Avoid him and you will find rest, and you will never be
wearied by his lack of sense. 14What is heavier than lead? And what is its name except “Fool”? 15 Sand, salt, and a
piece of iron are easier to bear than a stupid person. 16 A wooden beam firmly bonded into a building is not
loosened by an earthquake; so the mind firmly resolved after due reflection will not be afraid in a crisis.17A mind
settled on an intelligent thought is like stucco decoration that makes a wall smooth.18Fences set on a high place will
not stand firm against the wind; so a timid mind with a fool’s resolve will not stand firm against any fear.
P r o v erbs 4:4~5:4
4 He also taught me, and said to me:” Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.5 Get
wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.6 Do not forsake her,
and she will preserve you Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get
wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you
honor, when you embrace her. 9 She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will
deliver to you.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many. 11 I have taught you in
the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you
run, you will not stumble.13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. 15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on. 16 For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; And their sleep is taken away
unless they make someone fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence. 18 But the
path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is
like darkness They do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.21 Do not let them depart from your
eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from y o u .25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before y o u .26
Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove
your foot from evil.
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding, 2 That you may preserve
discretion, And your lips may keep knowledge. 3 For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is
smoother than oil;4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.

477Packer, J. 1997, Nelson’s Illustrated Manners and Customs of the Bible, Thomas Nelson: Nashville, 1995, p. 710.
478Smith, W. 1997. Smith’s Bible dictionary. Thomas Nelson: Nashville
Page 227
Several of the fathers explain how this passage relates to the main theme for the hour,
imploring us to watch our heart and make sure we are with the Lord:
The way of truth is therefore one. But into it, as into a perennial river, streams flow from
all sides. It has been therefore said by inspiration: “Hear, my son, and receive my words; that
yours may be the many ways o f life. For I teach you the ways o f wisdom; that the fountains fail
you not, ” (Prov. 4:10, 11,21) which gush forth from the earth itself. Not only did He enumerate
several ways of salvation for any one righteous man, but He added many other ways of many
righteous, speaking thus: “The paths o f the righteous shine like the light. ” (Prov. 4:18).
Keep your heart with all diligence, that it sin not in secret; for there is to be a laying bare
of thoughts and of actions. Employ your hands in labor, and let your heart meditate in prayer.
St. Ephraim the Syrian480
Thus living, let us keep guard carefully, and as it is written, “keep our hearts with all
watchfulness. ” For we have terrible and crafty foes — the evil spirits — and against them we
wrestle, as the Apostle said, “Not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and
against the powers, against the world-rulers o f this darkness, against the spiritual hosts o f
wickedness in the heavenly places. ” Great is their number in the air around us, and they are not
far from us.
St. Athanasius481
Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left — Avoid all crooked ways. Be an upright,
downright, and straight-forward man. Avoid tricks, wiles, and deceptions of this kind. But we
must really walk in the King’s highway, and take care not to turn aside from it either to the right
hand or to the left, as the Proverbs say.
“Let us turn neither to the right hand nor to the left. ” (Num. 14:29,31). For to turn to the
right hand is to deceive oneself, by saying that we are without sin; and to turn to the left is to
surrender oneself to one’s sins with a sort of impunity.
St. Augustine483
Psalm 40:6,1
6 A nd w hen he cam e to see m e, his heart spoke em pty w ords, he gathered iniquity to himself, b le s s e d is
the m an w ho consider the poor and needy; the L o r d will deliver him in the day o f trouble.
As St. Augustine describes, again this psalm speaks of the Person of our Lord Jesus
Christ “when our Lord Himself walked in the flesh here on earth.... When they saw the people go
after Him, they said, “When He shall die, then shall His Name perish;” that is, then we have slain
Him, then shall His Name be no more in the earth, nor shall He seduce any, being dead.
479 St. Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 1:5, ANF, v. 2.

480 St. Ephraim the Syrian, Three Homilies, On Admonition and Repentance, 9.
481 St. Athanasius, Life of Anthony, § 21.
482 St. Gregory Nazianzen, In Defense of his Flight to Pontus, 35, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.
483 St. Augustine, On Forgiveness of Sins and Baptism, 2:57.
Page 228
L uke 2 2*1-6
22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the
scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.
3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.4 So he went
his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them .5 And they were glad,
and agreed to give him money.6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the
multitude.
Did Satan Enter Judas when He conferred with the Lord (Luke 22:3) or when Judas
dipped the bread with the Lord (John 13:27)? St. Augustine explains, in an entire homily
devoted to this question, that Satan first entered Judas when he planned in his heart to betray his
Lord, and in this spirit he came to the Last Supper. But after he reached for the bread, the devil
no longer tempted Judas, as the disciple who belonged to Christ; but took possession of Judas as
his own.484 His great sin was that he was possessed by the devil’s evil and trickery, instead of by
the Lord’s love and grace.
But why would the L m i chose Judm if He knew that he was a traitorf
[Judas] chosen among the Twelve Apostles, and had charge of the money bag, to lay it
out upon the poor, that it might not seem as though he had betrayed the Lord because he was not
honored or in need. Therefore the Lord granted him this office, that He might also be justified in
him; he would be guilty of a greater fault, not as one driven to it by wrong done to him, but as
one misusing grace.
St. Ambrose485
The Jews, Judas, and Satan
Let us see the course of the devil’s spite and the result of his crafty plans against Christ.
The devil had implanted in the leasers of the Jewish synagogue envy against Christ, which even
leads to murder. This disorder always leads, so to speak, to the guilt of murder. At least, this is
the natural course of this vice. It was the way with Cain and Abel, and it clearly was so in the
case of Joseph and his brothers. The divine Paul also very clearly makes these sins neighbors and
relatives of one another. He spoke of some as full of envy and murder. [Rom. 1:29]
The Jewish leaders sought to murder Jesus at the instigation of Satan, who had implanted
this wickedness in them and who was their captain in their wicked projects. Satan is himself the
inventor of murder, the root of sin and the fountain of all wickedness.
Why did Satan rather not enter blessed Peter, James or John, or some other of the rest of
the apostles? Why Judas Iscariot? What did Satan find in him? Stan could not approach any of
these we have mentioned here, because their heart was steadfast and their love to Christ
immovable. There was a place for Stan in the traitor. The bitter disease of greed, which the
blessed Paul says is the root of all evil [1 Tim. 6:10], had overpowered him. Satan is crafty in
working evil. Whenever he gains possession of anyone’s soul, he does not attack him by means
of general vice. He rather searches for that particular passion that has power over him and by its
means makes him his prey.
484 St. Augustine, Tractate 62 on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.

485 St. Ambrose, On the Duties of Clergy, Book 1, Ch. 16, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10.
Page 229
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church 'W The Holy Pascha
Judas lost heaven for a little silver. He missed the crown of immortality and the desirable
honor of the apostleship. He missed to be numbered among the twelve to whom Christ
somewhere said, “You are the light o f the world. ” [Mt. 5:14].
486 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 140, CLC; AACS v. 3, p. 327.
Page 230
Ex. 14:13-15:1; Is. 48:1-6; Sir. 23:7-19 Ps. 82:2-5 John 12:1-8
Again in this hour, the love of the woman is compared with the hard heart of Judas. This
time, reading the story from the Gospel of St. John, which explains the story in more detail.
We continue reading in the book of Exodus as well, as in previous hours. Thus the sixth
hour seems to complete the third hour both in the gospel as well as in prophesy. Here we see the
cold heart of Pharaoh compared with the warm loving heart of Moses who cries softly for the
people of Israel. This reading as well is another type of the Cross, preparing us for the Lord’s
sufferings. As Moses lifted up his rod to part the Red Sea and defeat Pharaoh; the Lord Christ
struck Satan with the Cross, and destroyed him in Hades. Standing in between the two armies is
the Angel of the Lord. We read of the Song of Moses and this victory over wickedness and evil.
In Isaiah, we read of those who are "obstinate ” and hardened their hearts against the
Lord’s words, even though He still struggles with them.
In Sirach, we talk of the false oaths and foolish deeds, remembering the sin of Judas.
When the devil enters him his wickedness becomes like a “burning fire that is not quenched ”
until the Messiah is captured.
The psalm speaks of the conspiracy against the Lord; which is matched and compared to
the great love which we will read about in the gospel.
Finally, the gospel reading tells about Mary anointing the feet of our Lord with the
fragrant oil. This same gospel reading is read again during the third hour of the Eve of Holy
Thursday.
E x o d u s 1 4: 13. ~15' : 1
And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the L o r d , which
He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more
forever. 14The L o r d will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
15 And the L o r d said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16But lift
up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry
ground through the midst of the se a .17And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow
them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18Then the Egyptians
shall know that I am the L o r d , when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
19And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the
pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. 20So it came between the camp of the Egyptians
and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the
one did not come near the other all that night.
21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the L o r d caused the sea to go back by a strong east
wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. 22So the children of Israel went into
the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
23And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his
horsemen. 24Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the L o r d looked down upon the army of the Egyptians
through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians. 25And He took off their chariot
wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the
L o r d fights for them against the Egyptians.”
26Then the L or d said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon
the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” 27And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when
the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the L ord
overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen,
and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained. 29But the
Page 231
children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right
hand and on their left.
30So the L ord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on
the seashore. 31Thus Israel saw the great work which the L o rd had done in Egypt; so the people feared the L o r d ,
and believed the L o r d and His servant Moses.
15:1Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the L o r d , and spoke, saying:
“I will sing to the L o r d , For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown
into the sea!
The Crossing of the Red Sea is a well known symbol of baptism. However, for many
saints such as St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Augustine, and St. Jerome, while one is renewed with the
waters of Baptism, he must also escape from Egypt, or the love of the world.487 Thus, this
reading is important for us to see the rejection of the love of the world while turning to the love
of the Lord in the image of the woman with the oil. It is also interesting that the middle hour of
the middle day of the week speaks about the miracle in the midst of the sea. The song of praise
and victory is chanted with all joy and celebration in the redemption offered by our Lord on the
Cross.
[The Lord] hardened the heart of Pharaoh against the children of Israel, to have him
drown together with his army. In the same way, the devil also hardened his heart and wanted to
kill the Lord Christ, and blot His name out of the land of the living; only to find himself perish
together with his hosts.
I sa ia h 48:l~6
“Hear this, O house of Jacob, Who are called by the name of Israel, And have come forth from the
wellsprings of Judah; Who swear by the name of the L o r d , And make mention of the God of Israel, But not in
truth or in righteousness; 2For they call themselves after the holy city, And lean on the God of Israel; The L o r d of
hosts is His name:
3”I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused
them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. 4Because I knew that you were obstinate, And your
neck was an iron sinew, And your brow bronze, 5Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; Before it
came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, And my carved image and my
molded image Have commanded them.’
6”You have heard; See all this. And will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from this
time, Even hidden things, and you did not know them.
Out of great mercy and patience, the Lord reveals His message to His people again of His
love. Yet they still live a life of hypocrisy and idol-worship. Here, the Lord declares that despite
their hard hearts, He will still declare to them the hidden things that they have not known. He
remains faithful.
S irach 2 3:7~19
7 Listen, My children, to instruction concerning speech; the one who observes it will never be caught. 8The
sinner is overtaken through his lips, the reviler and the arrogant are tripped by them .9 Do not accustom your mouth
to swearing, and do not habitually utter the name of the Holy One;
10 for as a servant who is continually examined under torture will not lack bruises, so also the man who always
swears and utters the Name will not be cleansed from sin. UA man who swears many oaths will be filled with
iniquity, and the scourge will not leave his house; if he offends, his sin remains on him, and if he disregards it,
he sins doubly; if he has sworn needlessly, he will not be justified, for his house will be filled with calamities.12
487 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Exodus, Ch. 14.

488 Ibid.
Page 232
There is an utterance which is comparable to death; may it never be found in the inheritance of Jacob! For all these
errors will be far from the godly, and they will not wallow in sin s.13 Do not accustom your mouth to lewd vulgarity,
for it involves sinful speech. 14 Remember your father and mother when you sit among great men; lest you be
forgetful in their presence, and be deemed a fool on account of your habits; then you will wish that you had never
been bom, and you will curse the day of your birth. 15A man accustomed to use insulting words will never become
disciplined all his days.16 Two sorts of men multiply sins, and a third incurs wrath. The soul heated like a burning
fire will not be quenched until it is consumed; a man who commits fornication with his near of kin will never
cease until the fire burns him u p .17 To a fornicator all bread tastes sweet; he will never cease until he d ies.18
A man who breaks his marriage vows says to himself, “Who sees me? Darkness surrounds me, and the walls hide
me, and no one sees me. Why should I fear? The Most High will not take notice of my sins.” 19His fear is confined
to the eyes of men, and he does not realize that the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun;
they look upon all the ways of men, and perceive even the hidden places.
See the discernment of this wise man. He did not say, “Do not accustom your mind to
swearing,” but “Do not accustom your mouth to swearing;” because being altogether an affair of
the mouth, thus it is easily remedied. For at last it becomes a habit without intention; as for
instance, there are many who entering the public baths, as soon as they have passed the
threshold, cross themselves.
St. John Chrysostom (Commentary on verse 10)489
Youthful lust is wild, and requires many governors, teachers, directors, attendants,
and tutors. After all these, it is a happiness if it is restrained. For as a horse not broken in, or a
wild beast untamed, such is youthful lust. But if from the beginning, from the earliest age, we fix
it in good rules, much pains will not be required afterwards; for good habits formed will be to
them as a law. Let us not suffer them to do anything which is agreeable, but injurious; nor let us
indulge them, as forsooth but children. Especially let us train them in chastity, for there is the
very bane of youth. For this many struggles, much attention will be necessary. Let us take wives
for them early, so that their brides may receive their bodies pure and unpolluted, so their loves
will be more ardent. He that is chaste before marriage, much more will he be chaste after it; and
he that practiced fornication before, will practice it after marriage. “All bread, ” it is said, “is
sweet to the fornicator. ” (Sirach 23:17) Garlands are wont to be worn on the heads of
bridegrooms, as a symbol of victory, betokening that they approach the marriage bed
unconquered by pleasure. But if captivated by pleasure he has given himself up to harlots, why
does he wear the garland, since he has been subdued?
St. John Chrysostom (Commentary on verse 17)490
P salm S 2 ;2,5
2 For behold, Your enemies have made a noise; and those who hate You have raised their heads. 5 They
conspire with one accord; they make a covenant against You.
This contains an amazing prophesy of the conspiracy formed by Judas and the Jews
against the Lord. For truly, “His enemies ” conspired against Him in this very hour to make their
own “covenant” against Him. As He was preparing to institute His covenant with His disciples
and followers, they were conspiring to form their own covenant against Him. Truly, these are
the enemies of Christ the Lord.
St. Jerome mentions that these enemies of God, as mentioned in the first verse include the
enemies against the church. Each enemy of Israel represented something.
489 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 10 on Acts, NPNF, s. 1, v. 11.

490 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 8 on 1st Timothy, NPNF, s. 1, v. 13.
Page 233
The Edomites were those of Edom ("earth" or "blood"). Thus they loved the earthly things and
were murders. The Ishmaelites were those that were “quasi-listeners,” and represent those who
did not heed the voice of God. The Moabites are “from the father.” They are not in the Father,
but from the Father, because they have deserted their first Father.” The Agarnes symbolize
proselytes and strangers. They who formerly were citizens afterwards became aliens; they are no
longer of the household but strangers, strangers indeed, who are attacking their Father's house.
Gebal, means "a barren valley. The enemies of the Church are not from the mountains, but from
the valley; their wisdom is not from above, but from below; they are not of heaven, but wholly of
earth. The Amelekites were from Amalec, which is interpreted “licking.” They suffer nothing
to be left to the Church, but lick away its entire foundation. They do not feed on the words of
Scripture, but lick away it entire foundation. They do not feed on the words of Scripture, but lick
the ground like a snake...The Assyrian, too, is “leagued with them.” The others precede, but
this one follows. Let us see who this follower is. Assur, certainly, typifies the devil, for there is
no doubt of his malice nor his vengeance, as it is written in Psalm 8: "to destroy the hostile and
the vengeful" [Ps. 8:3] It is he who causes us to sin, and it is he who arraigns us for punishment.
St. Jerome491
J o h n l2:l<-8
12:1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead,
whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of
those who sat at the table with H im .3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of
Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. 4 Then one of His
disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three
hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and
had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it .7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for
the day of My burial.8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
As mentioned earlier, because this gospel reading is similar to that of the ninth hour, our
discussion here will focus on Mary and her anointing of our Lord. In the next hour, we will
focus on the character of Judas.
Bethany was known as the land of suffering and pain. Thus, the Lord comes to the land
of our pain. In the first journey, He came to heal us from our suffering because we were dead in
sin (as in the story of Lazarus). In the second journey, we meet Him on His way to carry our sins
for us on the Cross. We see Him preparing for His burial, and we declare, “Let us be buried with
You, let us offer our lives to You as You offered Your life on our behalf on the Cross.”
Spikenard is the root of an Indian plant, the Nardostachys jatamans i, of the family of
Valeriance, growing on the Himalayan mountains, and called nardos pistike in the New
Testament Greek rendering.492 It is distinguished by its having many hairy spikes shooting out
from one root.
Mary offers the oil as a thanksgiving offering to the Lord who had raised Lazarus her
brother from the dead. Perhaps even she had gathered this oil from what she was preparing for
her brother. For as she wiped the feet of the Lord, she remembered that instead of using this oil
in mourning for her brother, she would use it in the burial of her Savior.
The timing was perfect, since she poured the oil as the Jewish rulers had conspired
together to kill Him. If she waited only one day, perhaps she would have never received this
great honor, nor would she have been worthy of prophesying His burial. How amazingly did she
realize in her depths this was the most suitable time to anoint His feet!
491 St. Jerome, Homily 62: On Psalm 82:1, FC v. 57.

492 Bible Encyclopedia, “Spikenard.”
*-• •
How did Mary know that the Lord was going to be buried?
[Mary anointed the Lord] not out of luxuriousness, but because of a certain mystery
which had reference to His burying. Although she who did it was unaware of the design of the
mystery. For many things were both done and said with reference to a mystical type, when they
who spoke and acted were unaware of it.
Why does He say> “Thepoor you have with you alwaysf. but Me you do not have always? ”
Because for this reason most of all should we give alms, that we have Him not always an
hungered, but in the present life only. But if you want to know also the whole meaning of the
saying, understand that this was said not with a view to His disciples, although it seem so, but to
the woman’s weakness. That is, her disposition being still rather imperfect, and they doubting
about her; to revive her He said these things. For in proof that for her comfort He said it, He
added, “Why do you trouble the woman? ” And with regard to our having Him really always with
us, He says, “Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end o f the world. ” From all which it is
evident, that for no other object was this said, but that the rebuke of the disciples might not
wither the faith of the woman, just then budding.
Let us not then bring forward these things now, which were uttered because of some
economy, but let us read all the laws, those in the New and those in the Old Testament, that are
set down about almsgiving, and let us be very earnest about this matter. For this cleanses from
sin. For “give alms, and all things will be clean unto you. ” This is a greater thing than sacrifice.
“For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice. ” This opens the heavens. For “your prayers and your
alms have come up for a memorial before God. ” This is more indispensable than virginity: for
thus were those virgins cast out of the bridal chamber; thus were the others brought in.
All which things let us consider, and sow liberally, that we may reap in more ample
abundance, and attain unto the good things to come, by the grace and love towards man of our
Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
What does the aroma symbolim?
The sweet odor symbolizes the good report which is earned by a life of good works; and
the man who wins this, while following in the footsteps of Christ, anoints His feet (so to speak)
with the most precious ointment.
St. Augustine495
Mary did not minister, for she was a disciple. Here again she acted in the more spiritual
manner. For she did not minister as a guest, nor did she afford her services to all in the same
way. But she directed the honor to Him alone, and approached Him not as a man, but as God.
Thus, she poured out the ointment and wiped (His feet) with the hairs of her head, which was the
action of one who did not entertain the same opinion concerning Him as did others.
493 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John, Book 2, pp. 138-141.

495 St. Augustine, On Christian Doctrine, Book 2, Ch. 12, NPNF, s. 1, v. 2.
Page 235
What, then, we read concerning Lazarus we should to believe of every sinner who is
converted, who, though he may have been stinking, nevertheless is cleansed by the precious
ointment of faith. For faith has such grace that there where the dead stank the day before, now
the whole house is filled with good odor.
The house of Corinth stank, when it was written concerning it: “It is reported that there
is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles. ” (1 Cor. 5:1)
There was a stench, for a little leaven had corrupted the whole lump.
A good aroma began when it was said: “Ifyou forgive anything to any one Iforgive also.
For what I also have forgiven, for your sakes have I done it in the person o f Christ. ” (2 Cor.
2:10) And so, the sinner being set free, there was great joy in that place, and the whole house was
filled with the odor of the sweetness of grace. Wherefore the Apostle, knowing well that he had
shed upon all the ointment of apostolic forgiveness, says: “We are a sweet aroma o f Christ unto
God in them that are saved. (2 Cor. 2:15)
At the pouring forth, then, of this ointment all rejoice; Judas alone speaks against it. So,
too, now he who is a sinner speaks against it, he who is a traitor blames it, but he is himself
blamed by Christ, as he knows not the remedy of the Lord’s death, and understands not the
mystery of that so great burial. For the Lord both suffered and died that He might redeem us
from death. This is manifest from the most excellent value from His death, which is sufficient for
the absolution of the sinner, and his restoration to fresh grace; so that all may come and wonder
at his sitting at table with Christ, and may praise God, saying: “Let us eat and feast, for he was
dead and is alive again, had perished and is found. ” But any one devoid of faith objects: “Why
does He eat with publicans and sinners? ” This is His answer: “They that are whole have no
need o f the physician, but they that are sick. ”
Who anointed Christ* Mary or the sinful woman? Was Mary the same as the sinful woman?
This woman is probably the Saint Mary, Martha, Lazarus’s sister. She is known for her
peaceful sitting at the Savior’s feet, listening to Him, and speaking to Him. Whereas Martha was
busy in her many chores. She knew how to sell everything so as to possess the priceless pearl.
In her continuous meeting with the Lord, she came to know the mystery of the cross, and
she realized His death and His burial, not as historical events she was awaiting in fear and
confusion, but as godly deeds, so overwhelming. This is why she was exerting every effort to
save all what she could to offer the vessel of fragrant oil, so priceless, at the right time and the
right place. In the fragrant vessel, the Lord could see the heart of the church, His bride. It had
realized the mystery behind His death, as a good and joyful mystery to the soul. This is why He
affirmed that wherever this gospel is preached in all over the world, what this women did will be
mentioned.
The evangelist St. Mark said that she broke the vessel! What an amazing mystery; for the
church has seen the Lord offering His life in sacrifice on the Cross, and the springs of His love
breaking out through His open and pierced side. She, too, came as Mary, as a bottle of fragrant
oil, breaking it voluntarily, and the fragrant of her love is exploded through the perfume. In this
way love is blended with love; pain is blended with pain; the cross with the cross; and the
pierced with the broken vessel, poured on the sanctified Body.
497 St. Ambrose of Milan, Book 2 on Repentance, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10.

498 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Matthew, p. 26.
Page 236
Some doubting say, “How did the Lord endure that a woman should do this?” In the first
place then it is necessary to understand, that this is not the harlot mentioned in Matthew (Mt.
26:7), or the one in Luke (Luke 7:37), but a different person; they were harlots full of many
vices, but she was both grave and earnest; for she showed her earnestness about the
entertainment of Christ.
St. Augustine also tries to explain that the three gospels tell of the same story, and that
the woman poured ointment on the Lord’s head and feet and that His feet were anointed before
the vessel was broken. After it was broken, the oil was poured over His head. As he explains, we
must ascend from the feet to the head.500
Mary herself pours ointment on the feet of the Lord Jesus.. .on His feet probably because
one of the lowliest has been snatched from death, for we are all the body of Christ, but others
perchance are the more honorable members.
“The Church Pours Ointment** by Fn Tadros Malaty
Many have met the Lord Jesus representatives of the catholic church, for He is the
bridegroom. But this woman seems to me she has surpassed them all, after the Mother of God
Saint Mary who has carried the Lord in the womb. She is the symbol of the church, and His
Kingdom has been carried inside her, the mystery of the church’s life and its joy.”
The Church that has not yet been seen met with her Groom, through the Samaritan
Woman (John 4) who married to five men, and lived with one who was not her husband. The
Man of Truth came to take her to the real well of water to quench her thirst, and she overflowed
the entire world with the mystery of her satisfaction.
In the midst of human crowds, the church of the new covenant secretly encountered the
Teal Physician and after touching His clothes, her flow of blood stopped (Matt. 9). The church
blemishes are wiped away through the power that was released to its inner depths. The Church
developed, that was previously had fallen under the verdict of death, as a prostitute caught in the
very act (John 7: 53-8:11) It has then taken by force His forgiving mercies.
The Church has been freed as a poor widow who enters the Lord’s house, not knowing
what to offer except two cents, which was all she had; this was an acceptable offering of love.
The Church, moreover, has met the mother of Zebedee’s sons, offering her sons to the Groom so
they be blessed with His eternal kingdom through their partnership with Him in His cup, and
getting dyed with His own dye. In the personality of Martha, the Church came forth serving her
Groom (Luke 10) in the person of His single ...., as an offering of sublime excessive love.
In the house of Simon the Pharisee, the sinful woman came barging in the assembly
(Luke 7) and she stood at the Lord’s feet, weeping, and she wet his feet with the tears, and wiped
them with her hair. She kissed His feet and rubbed them with fragrant oil (Luke 7:38).
499 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 62, John 11:1-2, NPNF, s. 1. v. 14, p. 514
500 St. Augustine, The Harmony of the Gospels, Ch. 79, NPNF, s. 1 v. 6, p. 369.
501 St. Ambrose of Milan, Book 2 on Repentance, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10.
Page 237
►
She represented the mystery of the Church membership. It is the entrance to the Lord
Jesus to encounter Him without being hindered by the Pharisee life of Simon’s. The soul stands
in humility weeping in tears of repentance at the Savior’s feet. She bends with her head, that is,
with the thoughts and hair, her physical beauty, wiping the Lord’s feet. She is declaring her
repentance, mingled with joy, for she is kissing His feet and pouring the fragrant oil in them.
This declares the beautiful fragrant of Christ in her life.
As for this woman who met the Lord in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, she
came to declare the most perfect encounter of the two brides, the Church and the Bridegroom.
This was in heavenly splendor, poring out all her life, a fragrant oil of great price, filling up
heaven and earth with the beautiful fragrance of love. This meeting makes us enter into
overwhelming mysteries, before which I stand in amazement that I am unable to express. It
carries the mystery of eternal life, which no human language could record as it is.
Fr. Tadros Malaty 502
502 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Matthew 26.
Page 238
T he F r a g r a n t O il (C o n t in u e d )
Gen. 24:1-9; Num. 20:1-13; Prov. 1:10-32; Is. 59:1-17; Zech. 11:11-14; Ps. 40:5,7,6; Mt. 26:3-16
The first prophesy of this hour is from Genesis and speaks of the promise between
Abraham and his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac. This is another reminder of the
Heavenly Bridegroom who betrothed us to Himself. The Church, as the betrothed to the Lord,
will soon be presented to Him and united to Him through His Cross and Resurrection.
The next reading comes from the book of Numbers, where God invokes His wrath with
Moses and Aaron and does not allow them to enter the Promised Land, either because they
doubted the Lord or because they struck the rock twice, when our Master only struck it once. If
the first strike symbolizes the Crucifixion of our Lord; then the second strike implies our re-
crucifying the Lord, due to our slackness with regard to His sacrifice (Heb 6:6). Thus, this
selection serves as a warning to us, not to be guilty of additional pains to our Lord through our
sin.
We also hear of many prophesies of Judas’ betrayal and those who are plotting to kill the
Lord. In Proverbs, we read, their cry, “Come let us lie in wait for blood; let us wantonly ambush
the innocent...their feet run to evil, and they hurry to shed blood...they lie in wait—to kill
themselves! ”
We also read similar talks of the shedding of righteous blood in the book of Isaiah,
“Your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies,
your tongue mutters wickedness.... Their works are works o f iniquity, and deeds o f violence are
in their hands. Theirfeet run to evil, and they rush to shed innocent blood... ”
We then read of the specific prophesy of the betrayal of the Lord by Judas with “thirty
pieces o f silver ” which was taken from the treasury of the house of the Lord, in the book of
Zechariah. This is also included in the first hour of Great Friday.
In the Psalm we also read of the Lord’s enemies, who speak evil against Him and devise
His death. Again, the prophesies speak of the plight of the Jews against Him.
Finally, in the gospel we read the same passage as explained in the previous hour in the
gospel of John concerning the anointing by Mary, the accusation brought by Judas Iscariot, and
his plotting with the chief priests.
G enesis 24*
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the L o r d had blessed Abraham in all things. 2So
Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my
thigh, 3and I will make you swear by the L o r d , the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a
wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; 4but you shall go to my country and to
my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing
to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6But Abraham said to him,
“Beware that you do not take my son back there. 7The L o r d God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house
and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this
land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8And if the woman is
not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.” 9So
the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
Page 239
N u m b e r s 2 0 ; l <- 13 503
Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and
the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there. 2Now there was no water for the
congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. 3And the people contended with Moses and
spoke, saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the L o rd ! 4Why have you brought up the
assembly of the L o r d into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? 5And why have you made us
come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is
there any water to drink.” 6So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the
tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the L o r d appeared to them.
7Then the L o r d spoke to Moses, saying, 8”Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the
congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for
them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” 9So Moses took the rod from before the
L o r d as He commanded him. 10And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said
to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” xlThen Moses lifted his hand and
struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals
drank.
12Then the L or d spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of
the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” 13This was
the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the L o r d , and He was hallowed among them.
P r o v e r b s 1* 10-3 2
My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. 11If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed
blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; 12Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole,
like those who go down to the Pit; 13We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, We shall fill our houses with
spoil; 14Cast in your lot among.us, Let us all have one purse”-- 15My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep
your foot from their path; 16For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood. 17Surely, in vain the net
is spread In the sight of any bird; 18But they lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk secretly for their own
lives. 19So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners. 20Wisdom calls
aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares. 21She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of
the gates in the city She speaks her words: 22”How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scomers
delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge. 23Tum at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I
will make my words known to you. 24Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and
no one regarded, 25Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, 26I also will
laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, 27When your terror comes like a storm, And your
destruction comes like a whirlwind When distress and anguish come upon you.
28”Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find
me. 29Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the L o r d , 30They would have none of my
counsel And despised my every rebuke. 3th erefo re they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the
full with their own fancies. 32For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will
destroy them;
In the previous hours we read much of the need for wisdom; here we hear of the
punishment to those who reject wisdom and do not heed its instruction. As we see, the enemies
of Christ lie in wait for Him. Meanwhile, Wisdom waits for them, outside, crying out in the
gates of the city for people to turn to Wisdom, calling (v. 20). Finally, our Lord stretches out His
hand (v. 24) on the Cross, yet no one responded (v. 24). He called them to repentance, but no
one answered (v. 28). For they hated knowledge, they mocked Him, and did not fear Him (v.
29).
503 Although this reading is not included in many books, we have added here as it is symbolic of the Cross. Moses
striking the rock with his staff symbolized the Lord is the Rock and was struck with the spear. This passage is
referenced in Great Friday as well.
Page 240
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church r
St, Hippolytus explains that this passage refers directly to the guilt of the Jews in the
The Holy Pascha
blood of Christ.504 St. Augustine relates these verses also to the gospel parable about the wicked
vinedressers who declare, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be
ours. ” (Matt. 21:38).505
I s a i a h 5 9*1-17
Behold, the L o r d ’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.
2But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He
will not hear. 3For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken
lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity.,
4N o one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They
conceive evil and bring forth iniquity. 5They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s web; He who eats of their
eggs dies, And from that which is crushed a viper breaks out.
6Their webs will not become garments, Nor will they cover themselves with their works; Their works are
works of iniquity, And the act of violence is in their hands. 7Their feet run to evil, And they make haste to
shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; Wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8The way
of peace they have not known, And there is no justice in their ways; They have made themselves crooked
paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know peace.
9Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for light, but there is
darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness! 10We grope for the wall like the blind, And we grope as if
we had no eyes; We stumble at noonday as at twilight; We are as dead men in desolate places. 11We all growl like
bears, And moan sadly like doves; We look for justice, but there is none; For salvation, but it is far from us. 12For
our transgressions are multiplied before You, And our sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us,
And as for our iniquities, we know them: 13In transgressing and lying against the L o rd , And departing from our
God, Speaking oppression and revolt, Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14Justice is turned
back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter. 15So truth fails,
And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.
Then the L o r d saw it, and it displeased Him That there was no justice. 16He saw that there was no man,
And wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; And His own
righteousness, it sustained Him. 17For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His
head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
In the first 14 verses, the passage speaks about iniquity that separate the soul from God.
But this sin becomes a veil that separates man from God; the veil that separated the holies of
holies from the people; the same veil that was tom during the Crucifixion. This is why during
the Prayer of Reconciliation, the priest holds the veil between him and the deacon holding the
Cross, a symbol that this veil was taken away through the Cross. But the Lord does not wish to
have such separation, so He had a comprehensive and diligent plan for the salvation of man. The
remaining verses in Isaiah show God’s plan.
He preceded us as the Leader of the battle, and as a Representative of mankind, granting

us victory by His authority and righteousness.. .In place of the sin to which we were bound and
got destroyed, He put on His divine righteousness as a breastplate for us; and in place of the
perdition that came upon us, He put on His head a helmet of salvation; and in place of the
weakness and collapse in which we fell, He put on the garment of vengeance against the devil
and his angels, to repay them for their evil, and to deprive them of their authority over nations in
the east and west. The Savior is glorified in peoples and nations, granting them victory, even
504 St. Hippolytus, Commentary on Proverbs, 1-11.

505 St. Augustine, City of God, 17:20.
Page 241
over an enemy who comes like a sweeping flood; yet the Spirit of the Lord will stop him (Is. 59:
19).
Fr. Tadros Malaty”506
lECHARIAH 11:11-14
So it was broken on that day. Thus the poor of the flock, who were watching me, knew that it was the word
of the L o r d . 12Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they
weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13And the L o r d said to me, “Throw it to the potter”--that
princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the L o r d for
the potter. 14Then I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Hear now in regard to thirty pieces of silver: “And I will say to them, (I f it seems good to
you, give me my wages, or refuse. One recompense is due me for curing the blind and the
lame, and I receive another; instead of thanksgiving, dishonor, and instead of worship, insult. Do
you see how Scripture foresaw all this? “And they counted out my wages, thirty pieces o f
silver. ” O prophetic accuracy! A great and unerring wisdom of the Holy Spirit! For he did not
say ten or twenty but thirty, exactly the right amount. Tell also what happened to this payment,
O prophet! Does he who received it keep it, or does he give it back? And after its return what
becomes of it? The prophet says, “So I took thirty pieces o f silver, and I cast them into the house
o f the Lord, into the foundry. ” Compare with the prophesy of the Gospel,, which says, “Judas
repented and flung the pieces o f silver into the temple and withdrew. ”
P salm 40:5,7,6
5 My enemies have spoken evil against me, against me they have devised my hurt. 7And if he came to see
me, 6his heart spoke vainly; he gathered iniquity to himself.
M a tth ew 1 6:3-16
3 Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest,
who was called Caiaphas, 4 and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast,
lest there be an uproar among the people.”
6 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him having an
alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. 8 But when His
disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much
and given to the poor.” 10 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For
she has done a good work for M e .11 For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.12 For
in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. 13 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is
preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing
to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he
sought opportunity to betray Him.
In the last hour we read how Mary represents the true love of humanity for the Lord, and
how our great reward lies in our offering of love, repentance and submissiveness. But while St.
Mary cautiously went in to meet her Groom at Bethany, eager to be buried with Him, Judas was
betraying the Lord for the price of a slave.
Judas received much from the Lord during his three years as a disciple of the Master. He
heard many sermons, witnessed many miracles, spoke with Him often. He even obtained from
506 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Isaiah, pp. 562-3.

Page 242
the Lord the authority to preach and perform miracles with his own hands. Yet, despite all of
this, his heart did not encounter the Lord due to his love of money.
Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, was not given the same authority as Judas, nor
did she witness as many miracles and events as Judas did. But she knew Him by the purity of her
heart. While greed had blinded the heart of Judas and allowed him to betray His Lord; the purity
of the woman’s heart compelled her to pour out her love on the feet of her Savior.
As St. Mary represents the honest souls that come forth in love to Him, Judas represents
the deceitful souls which seek evil and sell their Master for some temporary pleasure. Although
every sin may not lead to betraying the Lord; chasing after sin while neglecting the Lord and His
precious blood is considered treason!
The Lord was patient with Judas
Of this patience Himself afforded and showed an example, when, before the passion of
His Body, He so bore with His disciple Judas, that ere He pointed him out as the traitor, He
endured him as a thief; and before experience of bonds and cross and death, did, to those lips so
full of guile, not deny the kiss of peace. All these, and whatever else there be, which it were
tedious to rehearse, belong to that manner of patience, by which the mind does, not its own sins
but any evils so ever from without, patiently endure in itself, while the body remains altogether
unhurt. But the other manner of patience is that by which the same mind bears any troubles and
grievances whatsoever in the sufferings of the body; not as do foolish or wicked men for the sake
of getting vain things or perpetrating crimes; but as is defined by the Lord, “for righteousness'
sake. ”
St. Augustine508
He who is not rich within himself, can never be rich, just as he would never be poor, if he
is not poor in his mind. If the soul is more sublime than the body, the members lesser sublimity
have no authority with which to act even on itself. But what is of more sublimity will have
authority over it and change it. Money is of no use if the soul is in poverty, and there is no harm
in poverty if the soul is rich.
Why does the Lord rebuke Judas and why doesn yt He expose Judas?
The traitor rebukes the woman who had shown her devotion towards Christ, attacks the
admirable deed, and affects to blame it out of love towards the poor because ointment was
brought and not money. But it was out of ignorance as to what is really excellent that Judas said
this. For the bringing of presents unto God should be honored more than the poor.
The Evangelist however sets for the reason, on account of which Judas said this: it was
not that he felt any concern for the poor, but because he was a thief and a sacrilegious person,
stealing the money which was dedicated to God. And the Lord also makes it clear that the
woman was free from any blame, whereby He covertly rebukes the traitor, not in His good
judgment finding fault with things that were worthy of praise, but saying, “Leave her
alone. ”... Yet here, again the Lord rebukes Judas, because he said this not out of piety, but
508 St. Augustine, Treatise on Patience, NPNF, s. 1, v. 3.

Page 243
because he was greedy of base gain, and was going for a little gain to betray his Master. For the
burying and the allusion thus made to His death indicate this plainly....
Yet Judas rebuked her, under the pretense forsooth of carefulness. What then does Christ
say? “She has done a good work for My burial ” But why didn’t He expose the disciple in the
case of the woman, or say to him what the Evangelist has declared, that on account of his own
thieving he rebuked her? But in His abundant longsuffering He wished to bring [Judas] to a
better mind. For because He knew that he was a traitor, He from the beginning often rebuked
him, saying, “Not all believe, ” and, “One o f you is a devil ” (John 6:64) He showed them that
He knew him to be a traitor, yet He did not openly rebuke him, but bore with him, desiring to
recall him.. .But none of these things turned back that savage madman; yet in truth Jesus said and
did far more than this, He washed his feet that night, made him a sharer in the table and the salt,
a thing which is wont to restrain even the souls of robbers, and spoke other words, enough to
melt a stone, and this, not long before, but on the very day, in order that not even time might
cause it to be forgotten. But he stood out against all.
[Jesus] was going to remain bodily with the church for but a brief while, whereas the
poor, for whom alms could be provided, where always to be found in it...As though Judas was
asking an innocent question, our Lord simply and gently explain the mystery of what Mary’s
action meant, namely that He Himself was about to die, and that He was to be anointed for His
burial with the spices.. .This is to say clearly, “She will not be able to touch My Body once I am
dead; she has done what she was able to do; she has anticipated, while I am still alive, the
performance of the duty of burying Me.
The very same hand which received the blessed gift a few moments ago, has stood up to
receive the money for conspiring the death of her Lord...The evangelist says ‘one of the twelve’
(Matt 26:14,47). This shows something of extreme importance, for the sin of treason is made
more clear. He who has honored him, making the apostolic honors, and has made him beloved
and embraced him to the sanctified table, this one has become a way and a means of killing
Christ...Satan could not draw neat all those about whom we spoke, such as the blessed St.
Peter... or St. John, for their hearts were firm and their love to Christ was stable. But Satan
found a place in the traitor because of the disease of bitter greed of which the righteous St. Paul
has said “the source of all evil” (1.. .6:10) which has defeated him...
When the disciples prepared the Passover, Christ ate with them, for He was tolerant with
the traitor. Before embracing him to the table of love and endless tenderness, even tough he was
a traitor, the devil has been able to set foot in him.
St. Cyril of Alexandria
Who is this man of His peace? Judas... He came to betray Him, He granted him a kiss
(John 6:70), that it might appear said to him, “the man of My peace.”
St. Augustine
510 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John, Book 2, pp. 138-141.

512 Bede the Venerable, Homily 2.4, BOG.
Page 244
Treasures o f the Fathers of the Church ■i The Holy Pascha
ELEVENTH HOUR
Submission a n d Sacrifice in th e Cross
Is. 28:16-29 Ps. 6:2,3; 68:17 John 12:27-36
The prophesy in Isaiah speaks of the Lord’s promise that His people shall “pass over”
the storm (of sin and death).
The Homily of St. Severus emphasizes the Divine Judgment of God that no one can
question or avoid.
The gospel discusses the distress of the Lord, the burden He begins to endure. He is
aware of the death He must die for us.
Isaiah 28*16-29
Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a
precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily. 17Also I will make justice the
measuring line, And righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will
overflow the hiding place. 18Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol will
not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, Then you will be trampled down by it. 19As often as it
goes out it will take you; For morning by morning it will pass over, And by day and by night; It will be a terror just
to understand the report.”
20For the bed is too short to stretch out on, And the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it.
21For the L o rd will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon—That He may
do His work, His awesome work, And bring to pass His act, His unusual act. 22Now therefore, do not be mockers,
Lest your bonds be made strong; For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts, A destruction determined even upon
the whole earth.
23Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my speech. 24Does the plowman keep plowing all day to
sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods? 25When he has leveled its surface, Does he not sow the
black cumin And scatter the cummin, Plant the wheat in rows, The barley in the appointed place, And the spelt in its
place? 26For He instructs him in right judgment, His God teaches him.
27For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin;
But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick, And the cummin with a rod. 28Bread flour must be ground;
Therefore he does not thresh it forever, Break it with his cartwheel, Or crush it with his horsemen. 29This also
comes from the L o r d of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.
In the midst of this passage, we see the Messiah coming to us in the form of the
Cornerstone’ and ‘Foundation,’ on which the Church is established. As it is mentioned this
foundation stone was rejected by the builders, or Israel (Psalm 118: 22,23; Matt. 21:42; Acts
4:11; Rom. 9:33; Eph. 2: 20; 1 Peter 2:6,8). The building established upon this stone is none
other than the Church of Christ, our refuge and home. For inside, the Body of Christ, death and
Hades no longer prevail over man.
The remaining verses speak about the coming of the Lord to punish the wicked, as a
farmer who plows the soil and breaks it up. He again appears as a Gardner to us, as He did in the
Monday of the Holy Pascha week, when He condemned the fig tree.
The Savior is that chosen stone, rejected by those who were supposed to build the
synagogue of the Jews, to become the cornerstone. The Holy Scripture likens Him to a
cornerstone, because in Him, the two peoples of Israel and the Gentiles, are gathered together in
one faith and one love (Eph. 2:15).
513 St. Cyril the Great, Commentary on Luke, Homily 134.
Page 245
Psalm 6 8 ; 17
Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled and my soul is greatly troubled. Do not turn Your countenance
away from Your servant for I am afflicted.
H omily of Saint Severus

Brethren, I remind you the admonition concerning the sinner, those who reject the law and the
commandments of life. Because our Lord warned them saying, “Stay away from Me and into eternal fire. ” What
comfort do they expect? There is the valley of tears; the tears that can bring no comfort. Who can intercede
for the sinners in that day when all the angles, the Cherubim and the Seraphim keep quiet and neither the righteous,
nor the saints can mediate for mankind. The whole creation will be silent and the whole world will be under the
Divine judgment. This is the time of harvest. This is the time to pull the net ashore to sort the good fish from
the bad ones. This is the day when the sinners will be told to dwell in Hell forever.
JOHN 1 2 : 2 7-3 6
“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I
came to this hour. 28Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it
and will glorify it again.” 29Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said,
“An angel has spoken to Him.” 30Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your
sake. 31N o w is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32And I, if I am lifted up
from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33This He said, signifying by what death He would die. 34The
people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The
Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” 35Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light
is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know
where he is going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things
Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
For what else did He signify by His lifting up, than His suffering on the cross, an
explanation which the evangelist himself has not omitted; for he has appended the words, “And
this He said signifying what death He should die. ”
St. Augustine514
“Why The Cross?”
But if any honest Christian wants to know why He suffered death on the cross and not in
some other way, we answer thus: in no other way was it expedient for us, indeed the Lord
offered for our sakes the one death that was supremely good.
He had come to bear the curse that lay on us; and how could He “become a curse, ” [Gal.
3:13] otherwise than by accepting the accursed death? And that death is the cross, for it is
written, “Cursed is he that hangs on a tree. ” [Gal. 3:13]
Again, the Lord’s death is the ransom of all, and by His death “the middle wall of
partition ” [Eph. 2:14] is broken down, and the calling of the nations is comes about. How could
He have called us to Him, if He had not been crucified? For it is only on the cross that a man dies
with His arms outstretched.
Here again, we see the fitness of His death and of those outstretched arms: it was that He
might draw His ancient people with the one and the Gentiles with the other, and join both
together in Himself.
Even so, He foretold the manner of His redeeming death. “And I, when I am lifted up
from the earth, will draw all men unto Myself ” [John 12:32] Again the air is the sphere of the
devil, the enemy of our race, who having fallen from heaven, endeavors with the other evil
Page 246
spirits who shared in his disobedience both to keep souls from the truth and to hinder the
progress of those who are trying to follow it.
The Apostle refers to this when he says: “According to the prince o f the power o f the air,
o f the spirit that now works in the sons o f disobedience. ” [Eph. 2:2] But the Lord came to
overthrow the devil, to purify the air and to prepare “a way” for us up to heaven, as the apostle
says, “through the veil, that is to say, His flesh. ” [Heb. 10:20].
This had to be done through death, and by what other kind of death could it be done, than
by a death in the air, that is, on the cross? Here again, you see how right and natural it was that
the Lord should suffer for us; for being thus “lifted up,” He cleansed the air from all the evil
influences of the enemy.
“I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven;” [Luke 10:18] He says; and thus He re
opened the road to heaven, saying again, “Lift up your gates, O you princes, and be lifted up, you
everlasting doors. ” [Psalm 24:7] For it was not the Word Himself Who needed an opening of
the gates, He being Lord of all, nor was any of His works closed to their Maker. No, it was we
that needed it, we whom He Himself carried up in His own body—that body which He first
offered to death on behalf of all, and then made through it a path to heaven.
Paul knew of [Him when] he said to the Corinthians, “I determined not to know
anything among yon save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ” Wherefore, formerly [the disciples]
proclaimed Jesus as the doer of certain things, and the teacher of certain things; but now when
Peter confesses that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God, as He did not wish it to be
proclaimed already that He was the Christ, in order that He might be proclaimed at a more
suitable time, and that as crucified, He commands His disciples that they should tell no man that
He was the Christ. And that this was His meaning, when He forbade proclamation to be made
that He was the Christ, is in a measure established by the words, “From that time began Jesus to
show unto His disciples how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things o f the
elders, ” and what is annexed; for then, at the fitting time, He proclaims, so to speak, to the
disciples who knew that Jesus was Christ, the Son of the living God, the Father having revealed
it to them, that instead of believing in Jesus Christ who had been crucified, they were to believe
in Jesus Christ who was about to be crucified.
But also, instead of believing in Christ Jesus and Him risen from the dead, He teaches
them to believe in Christ Jesus and Him about to be risen from the dead. But since “having put
off from Himself the principalities and the powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing
over in the cross,” if any one is ashamed of the cross of Christ, he is ashamed of the dispensation
on account of which these powers were triumphed over; and it is fitting that he, who both
believes and knows these things, should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through
which, when Christ was crucified, the principalities—among which, I think, was also the prince
of this world—were made a show of and triumphed over before the believing world. Wherefore,
when His suffering was at hand he said, “Now the prince of this world has been judged,” and,
“Now shall the prince of this world be cast out,” and, “I, if I be lifted from the earth, will draw
all men unto Myself; “ as he no longer had sufficient power to prevent those going to Jesus who
were being drawn by Him.
Saint Athanasius515
There are some other possible objections that must be answered. Some might urge that,
even granting the necessity of public death for subsequent belief in the resurrection, it would
515 St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation, §25, SYS Press, pp. 54-56.
Page 247
surely have been better for Him to have arranged an honorable death for Himself, and so to have
avoided the shame of the cross.
But even this would have given ground for suspicion that His power over death was
limited to the particular kind of death which He chose for Himself; and that again would furnish
excuse for disbelieving the Resurrection. Death came to His body, therefore, not from Himself,
but from enemy action, in order that the Savior might utterly do away with death in
whatever form they offered it to Him.
Just as a noble wrestler, great in skill and courage, does not pick out his antagonists for
himself, lest he should raise a suspicion that he is afraid of some of them. Rather, he lets the
spectators choose them, and that all the more if these are hostile, so that he may overthrow
whomever they match against him and thus vindicate his superior strength.
Even so, it was with Christ. He, the Life of all, our Lord and Savior, did not arrange the
manner of His own death, lest He seem to be afraid of some other kind. No. He accepted and
endured upon the Cross, a death inflicted by others, and above all by His special enemies, a death
which to them was extremely terrible and by no means to be faced; and He did this in order that,
by destroying even this death, He might Himself be believed to be the Life, and the power of
death be recognized as finally annulled.
A marvelous and mighty paradox has just occurred; for the death, which they
thought to inflict on Him as dishonor and disgrace has become the glorious monument of
victory against death itself. Therefore, it is also, that He neither endured the death of John, who
was beheaded, nor was He sawn asunder, like Isaiah: even in death He preserved His body whole
and undivided, so that there should be no excuse hereafter for those who would divide the
Church.
Saint Athanasius516
516 St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation, §§ 24-25, SVS Press.
Page 248
■U-
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church i- The Holy Pascha
C h a p te r 11
Eve o f G r e a t T h u rs d a y
“T h e B e t r a y a l *
Page 249
In the evening the Jews plotted with Judas to betray our Lord. This theme is consistent
with the readings of the Eastern Orthodox Church.517 The heart is the recurring theme in each of
the hours of this evening. The first hour speaks of our Lord’s desire to go to the Cross, which is
rejected by the disciples. The third hour we see the loving heart of Mary at Bethany, an
example for us all. In the sixth and ninth hours, we see the hard and stony hearts of the Jews
and Judas who conspire against Him. Finally, in the eleventh hour, we hear the Lord asking to
renew our hearts, by shining His Light upon us. If not, we will remain in darkness.
On this evening we read five prophesies: two from Ezekiel, two from Amos, and the
final prophesy from Jeremiah.
The gospels follow the events of the Passion fairly chronologically, using the Gospel of
John, from Chapter 10 through 12. The remaining chapters of John will be covered on Great
Thursday and the Eve of Great Friday.
The only exception is the third hour, in which we are reminded of Mary’s offering of oil
to the Lord (the third hour gospel from Mark 14). For as we approach the betrayal of Judas in
these gospels, we are reminded of the love of Mary. In the Wednesday readings, we focused on
the offering of oil, and mentioned the betrayal of Judas, here the focus is on the betrayal, with a
brief reminder of Mary’s gift.
gth
HOUR 1st 3rd 6th 11th
Theme Sacrificial Loving Heart Hard Heart Stony Heart Renewal o f
Heart Heart
Prophesies Ez. 43:5-11 Amos 4:4-13 Amos 3:1-11 Ez. 20:27-33 Jer. 8:4-10
Psalm 68:1,13 52:24,1 139:1,2 7:1,2 61:7,2
Gospel Jn. 10:17-21 Mk. 14:3-11 Jn. 12:36-43 Jn. 10:29-38 Jn. 12:44-50
517 A Monk of the Eastern Church, The Year of Grace of the Lord, p. 144.
Page 250
Ezek. 43:5-11 Ps. 68:1,13 John 10:17-21
Prophesy of Ezekiel in the inner court, in which the Lord describes the wall separating
Him and His people who defiled His name with their abominations. When we hear about the
difficult situation of man here in the Old Testament and are brought to anguish and despair, we
then read of the New Testament promise of the Cross.
Thus, in the gospel we hear the Lord explaining to us that out of His great love, He will
“lay down His life. ” Thus, the wall of separation is removed and we may enter into the Bosom of
the Heavenly Father. We also focus on the “power” of the Lord to lay down His life.
The exposition emphasizes to us that the Crucifixion is not by force, but out of love—
that which baffled the hypocritical Jews.
Ezekiel 4 3 jS^H
The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory o f the L o r d filled the
temple.
^Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside me. Ând He said to me,
“Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of
the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their
harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places. ^When they set their threshold by My threshold,
and their doorpost by My doorpost, with a wall between them and Me, they defiled My holy name by the
abominations which they committed; therefore I have consumed them in My anger. ^Now let them put their
harlotry and the carcasses of their kings far away from Me, and I will dwell in their midst forever.
10”Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and
let them measure the pattern. **And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design
of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms and
all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and perform
them.
The book of Ezekiel begins with a proclamation of “God’s glory,” for the first eleven
chapters, but disappears up until chapter 43, the passage which the Church selected for us in this
hour. Thus, despite the upcoming darkness, suffering and death, God will be glorified in His
resurrection.
Psalm 68sl,l3
Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lo r d , in the
acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of Your mercy, Hear me in the truth of Your salvation.
J ohn 10:17~2 i
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. ^ N o one takes
it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This
command I have received from My Father.” ^Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of
these sayings. ^ A nd many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” Ôthers said,
“These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Page 251
“I have power to lay down My life ”
Who does not have the “power to lay down his life, ” since it is in the power of any that
will, to kill himself? But He does not say this, but “I have in such a way the power to lay it
down, that no one can effect this against My will.” This power does not belong to men; for we
have no power to lay it down in any other way than by killing ourselves. And if we fall into
the hands of men who plot against us, and have the power to kill us, we no longer are free to lay
it down, but they may even take it from us against our will. This was not the case with Christ,
even when others plotted against Him, for He had power not to lay it down.
Therefore, after saying that “No man takes it from Me, ” He adds, “I have power to lay
down My life, ” that is, “I alone can decide as to laying it down,” a thing which we do not
have, for many others also are able to take it from us...for He came to death
voluntarily...and if so, He can “take it again” when He wants.. .Since He alone could lay down
His life, He was able by the same power to take it again. See how from the beginning He proved
the second, and from His death showed that His Resurrection was indisputable?
For because He is united [with the flesh] by the Word of God as to be one, He says: “I
have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again. No man takes it from me, but I
lay down my life that I might take it again. ” And, as the Gospel tells us, they who were present
were most astonished at this, that after that [last] word, in which He set forth the figure of our
sin, He immediately gave up His spirit. For those who are hung on the cross are commonly
tortured by a prolonged death. Whence it was that the legs of the thieves were broken, in order
that they might die directly, and be taken down from the cross before the Sabbath. And that He
was found to be dead already, caused wonder. And it was this also, at which, as we read, Pilate
marveled when the body of the Lord was asked of him for burial.
.. .Which death, though not due, the Lord therefore rendered for us, that the death which was
due might work us no hurt. For He was not stripped of the flesh by obligation of any
authority, but He stripped Himself....
And so the Son of God deigned to become our friend in the fellowship of death, to
which because he came not, the enemy thought himself to be better and greater than ourselves.
For our Redeemer says, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends. ”
St. Augustine519
The shepherd, and the hireling* and the thkfi
The Lord mentioned three characters, and our duty is to search them out in the Gospel:
the shepherd, the hireling, and the thief. I suppose you took notice when the lesson was being
read, that He marked out the shepherd, the hireling, and the thief. “The Shepherd, ” He said,
“lays down His life for the sheep, ” and enters in by the door. The thief and the robber, said He,
go up by another way. “The hireling, ” He said, if he sees a wolf or even a thief, “flees because
he does not care for the sheep; ” for he is a hireling, not a shepherd. The first enters in by the
door, because he is the shepherd; the second goes up another way, because he is a thief; the third

519 St. Augustine, On the Trinity, Book 4, Ch. 13, NPNF, s. 1, v. 3.
Page 252
seeing them who wish to spoil the sheep fears and flees, because he is an hireling, because he
does not care for the sheep; for he is an hireling.
If we shall find these three characters, you have found, holy brethren, both those whom
you should love, and those whom you should tolerate, and those of whom you must beware. The
Shepherd is to be loved, the hireling is to be tolerated, of the robber must we beware. There are
men in the Church of whom the Apostle speaks, who preach the Gospel by occasion, seeking of
men their own advantage, whether of money, or of honor, or human praise. They preach the
Gospel, wishing to receive rewards in whatsoever way they can, and seek not so much his
salvation to whom they preach, as their own advantage. But he who hears the word of salvation
from him who has not salvation, if he believe Him whom he preaches, and put not his hope in
him, by whom salvation is preached to him; be that preaches shall have loss; he to whom he
preaches shall have gain...
Those who preach God, as loving God; who preach God, for God’s sake, feed the sheep,
and are not hirelings. This chastity did our Lord Jesus Christ require of the soul, when He said to
Peter, “Peter, do you love Me ”? What is “Do you love M e”l Art you chaste? Is not your heart
adulterous? Don’t you seek your own things in the Church, but Mine? If then you are this way,
and love Me, “feed My sheep.” For you will not be a hireling, but you will be a shepherd.
But they did not preach chastely, concerning whom the Apostle sighs. But what does he
say? “What then? Notwithstanding every way, whether by occasion or in truth, Christ is
preached. ” He suffers then that hirelings there should be. The shepherd preaches Christ in truth,
the hireling by occasion preaches Christ, seeking something else. Notwithstanding, both the one
and the other preaches Christ. Hear the voice of the shepherd Paul; “Whether by occasion or in
truth, Christ is preached. ” Himself a shepherd, he was pleased to have the hireling. For they act
where they, are able, they are useful as far as they are able. But when the Apostle for other uses
sought for those whose ways the weak ones might imitate; he says “I have sent unto you
Timothy, who shall bring you into remembrance o f my ways. ” And what does he say? “I have
sent unto you a shepherd, to bring you into remembrance of my ways;” that is, who himself also
walks as I walk. And in sending this shepherd, what does he say? “For have no one so
likeminded, who with sincere affection is anxious for you. ” Were there not many with him? But
what follows?
“For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s; ” that is, “I have wished
to send unto you a shepherd; for there are many hirelings; but it were not meet for an hireling to
be sent. ” A hireling is sent for the transaction of other affairs and business; but for those which
Paul then desired, a shepherd was necessary. And he scarcely found one shepherd among many
hirelings; for the shepherds are few, the hirelings many. But what is said of the hirelings? “Verily
I say unto you, they have received their reward. ” Of the shepherd, what does the Apostle say?
“But whoever shall cleanse himselffrom such as these shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified,
and useful to the Lord, prepared always unto every good work. ” Not unto certain things
prepared, and unto certain not prepared, but” unto every good work prepared.” So much have I
said, concerning the shepherds.
But we will now speak of the hirelings. “The hireling when he sees the wolf lying in wait
for the sheep, flees. ” This the Lord said. Why? “Because he does not care for the sheep. ” So, as
long as the hireling of use, as does not see the wolf coming, as he sees not the thief and the
robber; but when he sees them, he flees. And who is there of the hirelings, who does not flee
from the Church, when he sees the wolf and the robber? And wolves and robbers abound. They
are they who go up by another way...
Now the wolf is the devil, he lies in wait to deceive, and those who follow him; for it is
said that “they are clothed indeed with the skins o f sleep, but inwardly they are ravening
Page 253
wolves. ” If the hireling observe anyone indulging in wicked talking, or in sentiments to the
deadly hurt of his soul, or doing should that is abominable and unclean, and notwithstanding that
he seems to bear a character of some importance in the Church (from which if he hopes for
advantage he is an hireling); says nothing, and when he sees the man perishing in his sin, sees the
wolf following him, sees his throat dragged by his teeth to punishment; says not to him, “You
sin; ” does not chide him, lest he lose his own advantage. This I say is, “When he sees the wolf,
he flees;” he does not say to him, “You are doing wickedly.” This is no flight of the body, but of
the soul. He whom you see standing still in body flies in heart, when he sees a sinner, and does
not say to him, “You sin;” yes when he even is in concert with him...
I am now treating of my counsel with you, holy Brethren. In Christ’s Name you are the
people of God, you are a universal people, you are members of Christ; you are not divided from
unity. You are in communion with the members of the Apostles, you are in communion with the
memories of the Holy Martyrs, who are spread over the whole world, and you belong to my cure,
that I may render a good account of you. Now my whole account, what it is you know.
“Lord, You know that I have spoken, You know that I have not kept silence, You know
in what spirit I have spoken, You know that I have wept before You, when I spoke, and was not
heard.” This I imagine is my whole account, For the Holy Spirit by the prophet Ezekiel has
given me sure hope. You know this passage concerning the watchman; “O son o f man, ” He
says, “I have set you a watchman unto the house o f Israel; if when I say unto the wicked, O
wicked man, you will die the death, you do not s p e a k .that is (for I speak to you that you may
speak), “if you do not announce it, and the sword, ” that is, what I have threatened on the sinner,
“come, and take him away; that wicked man indeed shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I
require at the watchman’s hand. ” Why? Because he did not speak. “But if the watchman see the
sword coming, and blow the trumpet, ” that he may fly, and he took not to himself, that is, amend
not himself, that it find him not in the punishment which God threatens, and “the sword shall
come and take any one away; that wicked man indeed shall die in his iniquity; but you, ” He says,
“have delivered your own soul. ”
And in that place of the Gospel, what else say He to the servant? when he said, “Lord, I
knew You to be a ‘difficult ’ or ‘hard Man, in that You reap where You have not sown, and
gathered where You have not planted; and I was afraid, and went and hid Your talent in the
earth, behold, You have that is Yours. ” And He said, “ 'You wicked and lazy servant, ’ because
you knew Me to be a difficult and hard Man, to reap where I have not sown, and to gather where
I have not sown, My very covetousness should the more to teach you, that I look for profit from
My money. 'Therefore you should have given My money to the money changers, and at My
coming I should have required My own with u s u r y . Did He say, “You should have give, and
require”? It is we then, Brethren, who give, He will come to require. Pray you, that He may find
us prepared.
St. Augustine520
520 St. Augustine, Sermon 87, On the Good Shepherd, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6.
Page 254
T he F r a g r a n t O il— the Lo v in g H eart

Amos 4:4-13 Psalm 52:24,1 Mark 14:3-11
Before we grieve about the betrayal and suffering of our Lord, the Church expresses to us
the outpouring of love we should have for our Lord. In this hour we read of the love and
repentance by Mary of Bethany in the gospel of this hour.
In the Eastern Orthodox church, during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts of Holy
Wednesday, this story is also read from Matthew 26:6-16. This shows that the theme of this day
has a long-standing tradition.
Although the psalm is identical to the one chanted in the first hour of the Holy Thursday,
this psalm in this hour is chanted in normal tune (Ke eperto), and on Holy Thursday it is chanted
in the same tune as Pekethronos (the psalm chanted on Great Friday).
Also, the prophesy read here is that of Amos, where God tells Amos that even when He
has blessed His people, they had ignored Him. God explains to us how He allows so much
adversity to befall us so that we would turn to Him. He allowed rain, drought, waste, locusts,
pestilence, stench, fire and brimstone; but we did not turn to Him. How much He grieves for our
repentance!
A mos 4:4~13 ' -

“Come to Bethel and transgress, At Gilgal multiply transgression; Bring your sacrifices every morning,
Your tithes every three days. 5Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, Proclaim and announce the freewill
offerings; For this you love, You children of Israel!” Says the Lord God.
6” A 1 so I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities. And lack of bread in all your places; Yet you have
not returned to Me,” Says the L o rd . 7”I also withheld rain from you, When there were still three months to the
harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, And where it did not
rain the part withered. 8So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, But they were not satisfied;
Yet you have not returned to Me,” Says the L o rd .
9”I blasted you with blight and mildew. When your gardens increased, Your vineyards, Your fig trees, And
your olive trees, The locust devoured them; Yet you have not returned to Me,” Says the L o rd .
10”I sent among you a plague after the manner of Egypt; Your young men I killed with a sword, Along with
your captive horses; I made the stench of your camps come up into your nostrils; Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says the L o rd .
U,T overthrew some of you, As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a firebrand
plucked from the burning; Yet you have not returned to Me,” Says the L o rd .
12”Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O
Israel!” 13For behold, He who forms mountains, And creates the wind, Who declares to man what his thought is,
And makes the morning darkness, Who treads the high places of the earth—The L o rd God of hosts is His name.
PSALM S4i 2 1,1

21 His words were smoother than oil, yet they were drawn swords 1Give ear to my prayer, O God, and do not
hide Yourself from my supplication.
For certain things in the Scriptures were seeming hard, while they were obscure; when
explained, they have been softened. For even the first heresy in the disciples of Christ, as it were
from the hardness of His discourse afose. For when He said, “Except a man shall have eaten My
flesh and shall have drunk My blood, he shall not have life in himself: ” they, not understanding,
said to one another, “Hard is this discourse, who can hear it?” Saying that, “Hard is this
discourse,” they separated from Him: He remained with the others, the twelve. When they had
intimated to Him, that by His discourse they had been scandalized, “Do you also want to go?”
Page 255
He said. Then Peter: “You have the Word o f life eternal: to whom shall we go, Lord? ” Attend,
we beseech you, and you little ones learn godliness. Did Peter by any means at that time
understand the secret of that discourse of the Lord? Not yet he understood: but that good were
the words which he understood not, godly he believed. Therefore if hard is a discourse, and not
yet is understood, be it hard to an ungodly man, but to you be it by godliness softened: for
whenever it is solved, it both will become for you oil, and even unto the bones it will penetrate.
St. Augustine521
Mark
And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an
alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. 4But there were
some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5For it might have been
sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. 6But Jesus said,
“Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. 7For you have the poor with you always,
and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. 8She has done what she could. She
has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 9Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the
whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. 11And when they
heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.
The woman has a very special message for you who are about to be baptized. She broke
her alabaster jar that Christ may make you “christs” His anointed. Hear what it says in the
Canticle of Canticles, “Your name is spoken as a spreading perfume, therefore the maidens love
you. we will follow you eagerly in the fragrance o f your perfume! ” [Song 1:3-4]...’’Just as the
grain of wheat, unless it falls into the ground and dies, does not bring forth any fruit [Jn 12:24]
so, also unless the alabaster jar be broken, we cannot spread its fragrance [Mark 14:3]...To him
[Judas], it seemed to be wasting the ointment because the jar is broken, but, for us, it was a great
good because the perfume spread throughout the world. Why are you indignant, Judas, because
the alabaster jar is broken? God, who made you and all the nations, is blessing u s with that
precious perfume. You wanted to keep the perfume sealed up so that it would not reach others.”
St. Jerome522
What is accomplished here is what the bride glorifies in the canticle of love, “While the
king was resting [on his couch], my spikenard gave forth its fragrance. ” [Song 1:12] Here it is
clearly shown that what Mary once did as a type, the entire church and every perfect soul should
do always...We anoint our Lord’s head when we cherish the glory of His divinity, along
with that of His humanity, with the worthy sweetness of faith, hope and love [1 Cor. 13:13],
[and] when we spread the praise of His Name by living uprightly. We anoint our Lord’s feet
when we renew His poor by a word of consolation, so that they may not lose hope when
they are under pressure. We wipe [the feet of] these same ones with our hair when we share
some of what is in excess to us [to alleviate] the wants of the needy...
For more notes, please see commentary in the Sixth and Ninth hours o f Holy Wednesday, above.
521 St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalm 54, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.

522 St. Jerome, Homily 84, FC, v. 57, pp. 188- 190.
523 Bede, Homilies on the Gospels, Homily 2.4.
Page 256
Amos 3:1-11 Psalm 139:1,2 John 12:36-43

As in the last hour, we spoke of the outpouring of love from the heart by Mary of
Bethany, in this hour we see the cold, stubborn and hardened hearts.
In the prophesy of Amos, we hear the warning of God to His people against all their
iniquities, laziness, and stubbornness. The Lord rebukes them for their sin and warns them that
an adversary shall arise and plunder their goods.
Once such wickedness is declared and exposed by God, man seeks salvation. So, we hear
the Psalmist cry out for deliverance from evil and sin.
Finally, in the gospel we find the Jews were unable to fully accept Christ and hardened
their hearts because they loved the praise of men more than God and feared exclusion from the
synagogue.
A mos 3: 1-11
Hear this word that the L o r d has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I
brought up from the land of Egypt, saying: 2”You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will
punish you for all your iniquities.”
3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? 4Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Will
a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing? 5Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is
no trap for it? Will a snare spring up from the earth, if it has caught nothing at all? 6If a trumpet is blown in a city,
will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the L o r d have done it?
7Surely the Lord G o d does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. 8A
lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord G o d has spoken! Who can but prophesy?
9”Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod, And in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say: ‘Assemble on the
mountains of Samaria; See great tumults in her midst, And the oppressed within her. 10F or they do not know to do
rig h t,’ Says the L o r d ,
‘Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. ’ “
11 T herefore thus says the L ord G o d : “An adversary shall be all around the land; He shall sap your
strength from you, And your palaces shall be plundered.”
I do not say this in arrogance, but have the prophet Amos standing at my side, crying and
saying, “I f th e re is c a la m ity in a city , w ill n o t the LORD h a v e d o n e it ? ” [v. 6] now evil is many-
faceted term. I wish that you should learn the exact meaning of each expression, in order that on
account of ambiguity you may not confuse the nature of things and fall into blasphemy.
There is evil, which is really evil: fornication, adultery, covetousness, and the countless
dreadful things which are worthy of the utmost reproach and punishment.
And there is evil which is not evil, but is called so: famine, pestilence, death, disease, and
other of a similar nature. These are not evils, I just called them evil for this explanation. Why
not? Because if they were evils, they would not become the sources of good—chastening our
pride, guarding our laziness, and leading us on to zeal, making us more attentive.
Psalm 13 9; 1,2
Rescue me, O Lord, from the evil men; deliver me from the violent men, who plan evil things in their
hearts; they continually gather together for war.
524 St. John Chrysostom, Homily Against Those Who Say that Demons Govern Human Affairs, 1.4-5, NPNF s, 1, v.
9, p. 182.
Page 257
St. Augustine explains that this “evil man” is not a man, but the devil, the price of evil,
who is disguised in the form of man. To prevent us from betraying our Lord as Judas did and
falling into sin, St. Augustine warns us to pray with the Psalmist for God to deliver against the
Devil and all his workers.
Now then being made light, not in ourselves, but in the Lord, let us pray not only against
darkness, that is, against sinners, whom still the devil possesses, but also against their prince, the
devil himself, who works in the children of disobedience. “Deliver me from the unrighteous
man. ” The same as 'from the wicked man. ” For he called him wicked because unrighteous, so
that you should not think that any unrighteous man could be a good man. For many unrighteous
men seem to be harmless; they are not fierce, are not savage, do not persecute nor oppress; yet
are they unrighteous, because, following some other habit, they are luxurious, drunkards, given
to pleasure. ...Then, every unrighteous man is wicked, who must needs be harmful, whether he
be gentle or fierce. Whoever falls in his way, whoever is taken by his snares, will find how
harmful is that which he thought harmless.
For even thorns do not prick with their roots. Pull up thorns from the ground, handle their
roots, and see if you feel pain. Yet that in the growth which causes you pain, proceeded from that
root. Let not then men please you who seem gentle and kind, yet are lovers of carnal pleasure,
followers of polluted lusts, let them not please you. Though as yet they seem gentle, they are
roots of thorns. .. .And so, my brethren, body of Christ, members of Christ groaning among such
wicked men, whomever you find hurrying headlong into evil lusts and deadly pleasures, at once
chide, at once punish, at once bum. Let the root be burnt, and there remains not whence the thorn
may grow up. If you cannot, be sure that you will have them as enemies. They may be silent,
they may hide their enmity, but they cannot love you. But since they cannot love you, and since
they who hate you must needs seek your harm, let not your tongue and heart be slow to say to
God, “Deliver me, O Lord, from the unrighteous mam ”
“Who have imagined unrighteousness in their heart” (v. 2). .. .From them free me,
from them let Your hand be most powerful to deliver me. For easy is it to avoid open enmities,
easy is it to turn aside from an enemy declared and manifest, while iniquity is in his lips as well
as his heart; he is a troublesome enemy, he is secret, he is with difficulty avoided, who bears
good things in his lips, while in his heart he conceals evil things. “All the day long did they make
war.” What is, “war”? They made for me what I was to fight against all the day. For from thence,
from such hearts as these, arises all that the Christian fights against. Be it sedition, be it schism,
be it heresy, be it turbulent opposition, it springs not save from these imaginings which were
concealed, and while they spoke good words with their lips, “all the day long did they make
war.” You hear words of peace, yet making war did not depart from their thoughts.
St. Augustine525
J o h n 12:3 6 - 4 3
While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus
spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them. 37But although He had done so many signs before them, they did
not believe in Him, 38that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has
believed our report? And to whom has the arm o f the Lord been revealed? ” 3th e re fo re they could not believe,
because Isaiah said again: 40 ”He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their
eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them. ” 41These things Isaiah said
when he saw His glory and spoke of Him. 42Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because
525 St. Augustine, Commentary on the Psalms, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8.
Page 258
of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved the praise
of men more than the praise of God.
What do the words mean “to see and yet not see ”? They are able to see how the demons
get out, and say there is a demon in him. They are able also to see those risen from the dead, and
yet not worship him, they rather plot how to kill him. They saw how He cast out demons, only
to say, ‘He has Satan’; and saw those risen from the dead; yet, instead of prostrating to Him, they
plotted to kill Him.
St. John Chrysostom
They saw the Lord and heard Him; but due to the hardness of their heart their inward man
did not hear, and neither did their inward vision see. His voice and his picture have become not
a mystery of salvation to them, but rather a pretext for more thickness of their heart. Their
cruelty has increased, so did their blandness, and their evil. As St. Paul the apostle said, (2 Cor
2:15,16) “For we are to God the fragrance o f Christ among those who are being saved and
among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma o f death leading to death, and to
the other the aroma o f life leading to life. ”
The coming of the Lord Jesus and his deeds added to the cruelty of the evil ones, because
of their love to evil as well as their haughtiness; whereas it opened the spiritual vision of the
simple ones so as to be aware of his tremendous mysteries and to enjoy what the prophets were
so zealous to see. The Lord Jesus said to His disciples (Matt 13:16,17) “But blessed are your
eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and
righteous men desired to see what you, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not
hear it... ”
They could see, since they had the prophecy clear about the Messiah the Savior. Some of
them even guided Herod and the magi to the place of the Lord’s birth. Despite this, they
remained inwardly visionless, and did not encounter him for their souls’ salvation, and being
blessed with the new life. They have seen he whom the prophets spoke of. They were eager to
see him and hear his voice and be blessed with his deeds in them. But unfortunately, they were
not blessed by him in their life, they rather resisted him.”
Why would we blame the Jem for their disbelief when God has blinded their eyes?
They could not believe, because Isaiah so prophesied, as God told him what their
situation would be. But, if you ask: what was the reason of their disbelief, I will instantly answer:
They did not want to. As God foresaw their corrupted will, He so foretold His prophet, as the
future is not hidden from Him... God blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, as He forsook
them, and denied them His care.
St. Augustine 527
They become blinded because of their disbelief in God. They look at Him, yet do not see
Him; as to them, He is, as though, not there; as the case is with the sun - His creation - which
blinds those with weak vision; to be unable to see its light. As to those who believe in Him and
follow Him, He grants greater enlightenment to their minds.
St. Irenaeus 528
526 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Matthew 13, pp. 9-10.

527 St. Augustine, Tractates on John, 53:6, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10.
Page 259
God does not attribute the people to Him, but call them in His anger: “this people.” He
counts them unworthy of being attributed to Him, because of the dullness of their hearts, the
heaviness of their ears, and the blindness of their eyes; that is to say, because of their violence,
rebellion, and spiritual ignorance. This prophecy refers to the denial of the Jews of the Lord
Christ when He came, as well as to the denial of the prophesies in the days of Isaiah, to fall in
captivity, and to be destroyed by Sennacherib the Assyrian.
529 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Matthew 13, pp. 9-10.
Page 260
T he Sto n y H eart
Ezek. 20:27-33 Psalm 7:1,2 John 10:29-38
We continue in this hour to focus on the enemies of righteousness who seek to capture
Christ and His followers. During this hour we read of the amazing contrast between the
unbelieving, stubborn, proud Pharisees that attempt to stone Christ; and the patient, wise Savior.
Their attempt to stone Him is not simply a physical act, but in the denial of His commandments,
as prophesied of in the Old Testament.
Ezekiel speaks about the blasphemy, treachery, and defilement that was committed
against the Lord (20:27,30). They also did not offer sacrifices (v. 28). This was the stony heart
that rejected God centuries before His Incarnation.
The psalm in this hour speaks of protection against enemies, who desire to take His soul.
This is similar to what Job endured, when the Devil requested permission to bring tribulations
upon Job. The Lord gave him permission to touch His body, but not His soul.
In the gospel, the Jews full of wrath and malice, take up stones to throw them at the
Savior. He escapes from them. Thus, we see the stony heart becomes a dangerous weapon,
which wounds and injures.
Ezekiel 2 0 : 2 7 - 3 3
“Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord G od: “In this
too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me. 28When I brought them into the land
concerning which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and they saw all the high hills and all the thick
trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their sweet
aroma and poured out their drink offerings. 29Then I said to them, ‘What is this high place to which you go?’ So its
name is called Bamah to this day.” ‘ 30Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord G od: “Are you
defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers, and committing harlotry according to their abominations?
31For when you offer your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your
idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live,” says the Lord G o d , “I will
not be inquired of by you. 32What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the
Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’ 33 As I live, says the Lord God, surely
with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be King over you.
P S A L M 7: 1,2
O L o r d my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; And deliver me,
^Lest they tear me like a lion, Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
“O Lord my God, in You have I hoped: save me from all them that persecute me, and
deliver me ” (v. 1). As one to whom, already perfected, all the war and enmity of vice being
overcome, there remains no enemy but the envious devil, he says, “Save me from all them that
persecute me, and deliver me (v. 2): lest at any time he tear my soul as a lion. ” The Apostle says,
“Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour. ”
Therefore when the Psalmist said in the plural number, “Save me from all them that persecute
me: ” he afterwards introduced the singular, saying, “lest at any time he tear my soul as a lion. ”
For he does not say, lest at any time they tear: he knew what enemy and violent adversary of the
perfect soul remained. “While there are none to redeem, nor to save:” that is, lest he tear me,
while You do not redeem, nor save. For, if God does not redeem, nor save, He tears.
St. Augustine530
Page 261
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church f V The Holy Pascha
J o h n 10:2 9 * 3 8
29My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of
My Father’s hand. 30I and My Father are one.” 31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32Jesus
answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”
33The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You,
being a Man, make Yourself God.” 34Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, 7 said, “You are gods ” 7
35If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36do you say of Him
whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
37If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38but if I do, though you do not believe Me,
believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”
One with theFather
See how He proves that He is in not inferior to the Father, but in every way equal to
Him? It was impossible to see His Essence, from the equality and sameness of the works He
proves His unchangeable Power...”1 am in the Father, and the Father in Me.” “For I am nothing
other than what the Father is, yet still Son; He nothing other than what I am, yet still Father. And
if any man knows Me, he knows the Father, and if he knows the Father, he has learned of the
Son also.” Now if His was power inferior, then His knowledge would also be inferior, for it is
not possible to become acquainted with one substance or power by means of another.
The Son does not say, “the Father is in Me, and I in Him,” as men can say. For if we
think well, we are in God; and if we live well, God is in us: believers, by participating in His
grace, and being illuminated by Himself, are in Him, and He in us. But not so is it with the only-
begotten Son: He is in the Father, and the Father in Him; as One who is equal is in Him
whose equal He is. In short, we can sometimes say, “We are in God, and God is in us.” But
can we say, “I and God are one?” You are in God, because God contains you; God is in you,
because you have become the temple of God. But because you are in God, and God is in you,
you cannot say, “He that sees me sees God;” as the Only-begotten said, “He that has seen Me,
has seen the Father also; ” and “I and the Father are one ”? Recognize the prerogative of the
Lord, and the privilege of the servant. The prerogative of the Lord is equality with the Father: the
privilege of the servant is fellowship with the Savior.
St. Augustine532
“I am in the Father, and the Father in Me, ” [John 10:38] each of course being in the
other in two different senses; the Son being in the Father as the beauty of the image is to be
found in the form from which it has been outlined; and the Father in the Son, as that original
beauty is to be found in the image of itself. Now in all hand-made images the interval of time is a
point of separation between the model and that to which it lends its form; but there the one
cannot be separated from the other, neither the "express image ” from the “Person, ” to use the
Apostle’s words [Heb. 1], nor the “brightness” from the “glory” of God, nor the representation
from the goodness; but winch once thought has grasped one of these, it has admitted the
associated Verity as well. “Being,” he says (not becoming), “the brightness o f His glory; ” [Heb.
1:3] so that clearly we may forever rid ourselves of the blasphemy which lurks in either of those

Page 262
two conceptions: that the Only-begotten can be thought of as Ungenerate (for he says “the
brightness o f His glory, ” the brightness coming from the glory, and not the glory from the
brightness); or that He ever began to be.
You hear the words, I and the Father are one. Why do you separate and tear the Son
away from the Father? They are a unity: an absolute Existence having all things in perfect
communion with that absolute Existence, from Whom He is. When you hear the Son saying, I
and the Father are one, adjust your view of facts to the Persons and accept the statement which
Begetter and Begotten make concerning Themselves. Believe that They are One, even as They
are also Begetter and Begotten. Why deny the common nature? Why impugn the true
Divinity?...We confess that in Both is equivalence of power and fullness of the Godhead. For
the Son has received all things from the Father; He is the Likeness of God, the Image of His
substance. The words, Image o f His substance [Heb.l:3], discriminate between Christ and Him
from Whom He is but only to establish Their distinct existence not to teach a difference of
nature; and the meaning of Father in Son and Son in Father is that there is the perfect fullness
of the Godhead in Both.
What is the difference between being “snatched out o f the Fathers hand* and out o f Christ as
hand?
Do the Father and Son have one hand, or is the Son Himself, shall we say, the hand of
His Father?...the Father’s hand is the Son Himself, which is not to be so understood as if God
had the human form, and, as it were, bodily members: but that all things were made by Him.
For men also are in the habit of calling other men their hands, by whom they get done
what they wish. And sometimes also the very work done by a man’s hand is called his hand; as
one is said to recognize his hand when he recognizes what he has written. Since, then, there are
many ways of speaking of the hand of a man, who literally has a hand among the members of his
body; how much rather must there be more than one way of understanding it, when we read of
the hand of God, who has no bodily form? And in this way it is better here, by the hand of the
Father and Son, to understand the power of the Father and the Son; lest, in taking here the hand
of the Father as spoken of the Son, some carnal thought also about the Son Himself should set us
looking for the Son as somehow to be similarly regarded as the hand of Christ. Therefore, “no
one plucks them out of my Father’s hand;99that is, no one plucks them from Me...
St. Augustine5 5
533 St. Gregory of Nyssa, Against Eunomius, Book 1, §39, NPNF, s. 2, v. 5.

534 St. Hilary of Poitiers, On the Holy Trinity, Book 3, §§4, 23, NPNF, s. 2, v. 9.
Page 263
Why did the Jews try to stone Him ?
[When He said] “Iand my Father are one”...the Jews were able to bear Him...they bore
it no longer and hardened in their own way, they had recourse to stones... The Lord still speaks
to them while they seek to stone Him because He suffered not what He was unwilling to
suffer, and only suffered what He was pleased to suffer...See how that the Jews understood
what the Arians do not understand. For they were angry because they felt it could not be said,
“I and my Father are one, ” unless He was equal to the Father.
St. Augustine536
Why did Me escmpe?
When He has uttered anything great and sublime, He quickly retires, giving way to their
anger, so that the passion may abate and cease through His absence. And thus He acted at that
time. But wherefore does the Evangelist mention the place? That you may learn that He went
there to remind them of the things there done and said by John, and of his testimony; at least
when they came there, they immediately remembered John...
You remember what was said of John, that he was a light, and bore witness to the day.
Why, then, say these among themselves, “John did no miracle”? John, they say, signalized
himself by no miracle; he did not put devils to flight, he drove away no fever, he enlightened not
the blind, he raised not the dead, he fed not so many thousand men with five or seven loaves, he
walked not upon the sea, he commanded not the winds and the waves. None of these things did
John, and in all he said he bore witness to this man. By lamp-light we may advance to the day.
“John did no miracle: but all things that John spoke of this man were true.” Here are those who
apprehended in a different way from the Jews. The Jews wished to apprehend one who was
departing from them, these apprehended one who remained with them. In a word, what is it that
follows? 66And many believed on Him.”
St. Augustine538

"R e n e w in g Yo u r H eart "
Jer. 8:4-10 Psalm 61:7,2 John 12:44-50

In the prophesy of Jeremiah we read about the danger of not receiving the holy Word of
God without repentance and returning to God. If our hearts were darkened or hardened as we
read of in the last hours, we must repent and return to the Light of the World. If not we do not
repent, then we will remain in the state of “perpetual backsliding. ” (Jer. 8:5). This was the state
of the scribes and Pharisees who did not accept the Word of God, but rejected Him due to their
coldness of heart and stubbornness of mind. So, “let us rise ” from our foolishness and sin.
The psalm is a good reminder of this message, one that the Early Church had determined
was an essential message to hear every morning during the First Hour of the Agpeya.539
Finally in the gospel, Christ explains that He is the Divine Light that separates light from
darkness, truth from trickery, wisdom from confusion. But they were still stubborn and did not
understand the way of the Lord, as the people explained in the prophesy of Jeremiah. This speaks
of trust in the Lord, for He holds even the extent of our tribulation, but also all goodness in His
hands.
J eremiah 8:4-10
“Moreover you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the L o r d : “Will they fall and not rise? Will one turn away
and not return? 5Why has this people slidden back, Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to
deceit, They refuse to return. 6I listened and heard, But they do not speak aright. No man repented of his
wickedness, Saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turned to his own course, As the horse rushes into the battle.
7”Even the stork in the heavens Knows her appointed times; And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow
Observe the time of their coming. But M y people do not know the judgment of the L o r d .
8”H ow can you say, ‘We are wise, And the law of the L o r d is with us’? Look, the false pen of the
scribe certainly works falsehood. 9The wise men are ashamed, They are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have
rejected the word of the L o rd ; So what wisdom do they have? 10Therefore I will give their wives to others, And
their fields to those who will inherit them; Because from the least even to the greatest Everyone is given to
covetousness; From the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely.
Falling, in itself, is not a serious matter, but what is serious is staying down after falling,
and not trying to rise again. Cowardice and slothfulness hide the intention of ethical weakness,
under the pretence of despair.. ..I wish, that we, the fallen, do not despair, but say: “Will they fall
and not rise ? ” (Jer. 8:4)...
There are actually those who rose from the pit of evil to heaven; and from the worldly
corruption to angelic life; reaching a level of being capable of casting out demons, and doing
other miracles.
So our advice is not to avoid falling, as much as it is, to try to rise after falling. Let us rise
again, even if it seems too late. How long shall we stay down? How long shall we stay drunken
by the increasing desire in temporal interests? It is now the right time to say, ‘Until when shall I
speak and testify?’*All the people have become deaf, even concerning the teachings of virtues;
they became filled with wickedness...
All have fallen, and do not care to rise. That is why our advice does not concern not
falling, but the ability of the fallen to rise... Let us rise again, brethren, however late we seem
to be. Let us stand again; stand with prestige! To fall is not that serious; What is more
539 St. John Cassian mentioned how this psalm was included by the early third and fourth centuries in all of the
Eastern monasteries. Institutes of the Coenobia, Book 3, Ch. 3, §6.
Page 265
serious is to stay down after without rising gain; to be coward and slothful, and to remain
helpless with despair...Let us learn from these animals, how to walk in virtue, to avoid evil, and
controversial things.
Do not despair of salvation. Remember what came in the Holy Book, that the fallen will
rise, the prodigal will return, the wounded will be healed, he who falls a prey to the wild beast
will get away, and he who sins will be forgiven. It is time for bearing, for long-suffering, for
healing, and for correction. Have you stumbled ? Rise up. Have you sinned ? Stop sinning.
‘Do not stand in the path o f sinners9(Ps. 1:1). Escape from sin. Strife will bring you health,
and sweat will bring you salvation.
“God desires mercy and not sacrifice” [Hos. 6:6; Matt. 9:13]. Heaven and the angels
there, rejoice for the repentance of one man [Luke 15:7, 10]. Rejoice, O sinner; You can see
how I rejoice for your return.
Tertullian542
P s a l m 6 i si ,2
In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. He only is my
rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.
I shall be saved in God, glorious I shall be in God: for not only saved, but also glorious,
saved, because a just man I have been made out of an ungodly man, by Him justified; but
glorious, because not only justified, but also honored. For “those whom He has predestined'
these He also called. ” [Rom. 8:30] Calling them, what has He done here? “whom He called,
these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” [Rom 8:30]
Justification therefore to salvation belongs, glorifying to honor... ’’For God is my salvation
and my glory. ” “My salvation, ” so that saved I am: “my glory,” so that I am honored.
St. Augustine543
J ohn 12i4 4 - 5 $
Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.
45And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46I have come as a light into-the world, that whoever believes in
Me should not abide in darkness. 47And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I
did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has
that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49For I have not spoken on My
own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50And
I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I
speak.”
540 St. John Chrysostom, Letter to the fallen “Theodore,” NPNF, s. 1, v. 9.

541 Fr. Tadros Malaty Commentary on Jeremiah, Ch. 8.
542 Ibid.
543 St. Augustine, Sermon 48, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6, p. 885 (edited).
Page 266
The Light of the World
I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in
darkness. He also said to His disciples, “You are the light o f the world. A city that is set on a hill
cannot be hidden... ” but He did not say to them, “You have come as a light into the world, that
whoever believes on you should not abide in darkness.” This cannot be true. For all the saints
are lights, but they are illuminated by Him through faith; and every one that becomes
separated from Him will be enveloped in darkness. ...
Saint Augustine544
St. Augustine also continues to say, if we believe that a saint has the light of God, and is
enlightened in wisdom, virtue, or glory, we do not believe that it comes from him—but he is
shining with Christ, Light of the World, shining in him.
Glorify Him; Flee From Vainglory
“He emptied Himself, and gave Himselffor us. ” (Phil. 2:7). But, as I said, vainglory, is a
very terrible, a terrible thing (Eph. 5:2). This made these men not to believe, and others to
believe ill, so that the things which were said for the sake of those men, through loving-kindness,
they turned to impiety.
Let us then ever flee this monster: which takes many various shapes and sheds its
peculiar venom everywhere, in wealth, in luxury, in beauty of person. Through [such vainglory]
we exceed what we needed; through this arises extravagance in gannents...; through this needful
use is despised in our houses, our garments, our table; and extravagance prevails.
Do you want to enjoy glory? Give alms, then the Angels will praise you, and God will
receive you...Now the admiration goes no farther than the goldsmiths and weavers, and you
depart without a crown, often seeing that you receive curses. But if you do not put these things
around your body, but use them in feeding the poor, the applause and praise will be great from
all sides. Then you will have them, when you give them to others; when you keep them for
yourself, then you will not have them. For a house is a faithless treasury, but a sure treasury are
the hands of the poor.
Why do you adorn your body, while your soul is neglected, possessed by
uncleanness? Why don’t you care as much about your soul as you do for your body?...
What madness is this! Shift this adorning within, put these necklaces about your soul.
The things that you put around your body help neither to its health nor to its beauty, for it will
not make black white, nor what is ugly either beautiful or good looking. But if you put them
about your soul, you will soon make it white instead of black; beautiful and well favored instead
of ugly and unsightly. The words are not mine, but those of the Lord Himself, who said,
“Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow99(Isa. 1:18)...
Saint John Chrysostom545
544 St. Augustine, Tractate 54 on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7

545 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 59 on John, NPNF, s. 1. v. 14.
Page 267
The Stony Hearts o f the Jews
As mentioned above, the entire theme of this hour is the stony heart. The Scholar Origen
mentions how St. John the Baptist vigorously accused the Jews of having stony hearts:
When [the Baptist] sees many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism,
without having the fruits of repentance, and pharisaically boasting in themselves that they had
Abraham for their father, John rebukes them with the zeal of Elijah according to the
communication of the Holy Spirit. For that is a rebuking word, “Do not think to say within
yourselves, We have Abraham for our father. ” This is the word of a teacher, when he speaks of
those who for their stony hearts are called unbelieving stones, and says that by the power of
God these stones may be changed into children of Abraham; for they were present to the eyes of
the prophet and did not shrink from his divine glance. Hence his words: “I say unto you that God
is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ”
Hence, as if by the most open of all insults thrown at Abraham, they were now excited to
greater bitterness. Of a certainty it seemed to them that Christ the Lord had uttered blasphemy in
saying, “Before Abraham was made, I am ” “Therefore took they up stones to cast at Him. ” To
what could so great hardness have recourse, save to its like? “But Jesus” [acts] as man, as one in
the form of a servant, as lowly, as about to suffer, about to die, about to redeem us with His
blood; not as He who is—not as the Word in the beginning, and the Word with God.
When they took up stones to cast at Him, what great thing were it had they been instantly
swallowed up in the gaping earth, and found the inhabitants of hell in place of stones? It were not
a great thing to God; but better was it that patience should be commended than power exerted.
Therefore “He hid Himself' from them, that He might not be stoned. As man, He fled from the
stones; but woe to those from whose stony hearts God has fled?
St. Augustine547
The radiant angel had descended from heaven, and rolled away the stone for those who
still had stony hearts, and who supposed that the living One still lay among the dead; and had
declared glad tidings to the women also, and removed their stony-hearted unbelief by the
conviction that he whom they sought was alive.
Eusebius Pamphlius548
546 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, Book 6, §13, ANF, v. 10.
547 St. Augustine, Tractate 43, on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.
548 Eusebius Pamphlius, Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine, Ch. 34, NPNF, s. 2, v. 1.
Page 268
C hapter 12
G r ea t Th u r sd a y
“Th e G r ea t S a c r if ic e "
J o h n 15:17-2 5
Page 269
Great Thursday is a completion of the union of the Church and of heaven. During this
day, we anxiously expect the crucifixion of the Lord and commemorate all the last acts and
words of love He gave for man. The events which transpired on this holy day include:
1) The Preparation of the Passover. In the beginning of the day, our Lord delegates St.
Peter and St. John to prepare the bread, wine, Passover lamb, and other necessities. Here we
pray the first nine hours o f Great Thursday.
2) The washing of the disciples’ feet is for us the Liturgy o f the Blessing o f the Water.
3) The institution the Last Supper, the Passover of the New Testament—in which we
celebrate the Divine Liturgy o f the Eucharist.
4) The events leading up to the betrayal is heard in the 11th hour.
5) The prayer of our Lord in Gethsemane takes the theme of the Evening prayers.
Our glorious Church divides these events into five significant events which coincide to
those events described above. The order of this hour matches the regulations of the Agpeya
prayer in the Church. We read the first hour before matins; the Third, Sixth and Ninth before the
Divine Liturgy; and the Eleventh hour after the Liturgy—since communion must be administered
before sunset so that it is not celebrated during the Passover of the Jews. These are read instead
of the hours of the Agpeya, which are not read during Holy Week. Examine and see how these
hours even fit both the events of their hours as well as the Divine Liturgy.
The prayers of the First Hour are celebrated in the first section of the church, in the
Chorus of Deacons. There, the altar curtain is opened as the church prepares for the Liturgy. The
first prophesy of the book of Exodus is then read, which demonstrates the great symbol of the
Holy Cross when Moses had lifted up His arms against the Amelikites. This is the power and
glory of God we proclaim during the Paschal Doxology. Through this prophesy of the Cross,
we begin the entry into the Liturgy. The sign of refuge, to defeat the enemy. After the first hour
prophesies are read, the readings and prayers follow the basic structure of the Divine Liturgy.
The prayers of the Third, Sixth and Ninth hours are conducted at the second section of
the church, as the rest of the Paschal prayers. These are preparation hours for the liturgy, since
they replace the Agpeya hours. During these hours, the apostles were preparing the Last Supper;
so do we continue to prepare ourselves for the Divine Liturgy. We continue the theme of
preparation. The Third Hour focuses on preparation for His Coming, not only into Jerusalem,
but into our homes, into our hearts, into our churches, into our altars, into our lives. The Sixth
Hour to prepare the house for the Passover.
The gospels of the first four hours all speak of this same topic of preparation for the
Passover, each drawn from the synoptic gospels (Luke, Matthew, Mark, Matthew, respectively).
Just as Christ is preparing for the partaking of the Passover, we are preparing for the partaking of
communion in the Divine Liturgy.
The psalms used for the third and sixth hours are the preparation psalms for dressing the
tunia, or the garments of the priest and the deacons. The psalm used in the Ninth Hour is the
famous 23rd psalm for the Good Shepherd.
3 rd g th
HOUR 1st 6th i i ,h
Theme Betrayal Prepare for His Prepare the Symbols of the The Beginning of
coming House New Covenant Suffering
Prophesies Ex. 17:8-16, Ex. 32:30-33:5 Jer. 7:2-15 Gen. 22:1-19 Is. 52:13-53
15:22,-16:3 Sir. 24:1-15 Ezek. 20:39-44 Is. 61:1-6 Is. 19:19-25
Is. 58:1-11 Zech. 9:11-14 Sir. 12:13-13:1 Gen. 14:17-20 Zech. 12:11-14:9
Ezek. 18:20-32 Prov. 30:1-6 Job 27:1-28:13 14:1-9
Psalm 54:21, 12 93:21, 23 30:,18,3 22:1 49:14
Gospel Lk. 22:7-13 Mt. 26:17-19 Mark 14:12-16 Matt. 26:17-19 John 13:21-30
Divine Liturgy: 1 Corinthians 11:23-34; Psalm 22:5, 40:9;Matthew 26:20-29,
Page 270
W orship the C ross, Prepare for the Passover

Exodus 17:8-16, 15:23-27; Isaiah 58:1-9; Ezekiel. 18:20-32; Psalm 54:21, 12; Luke 22:7-13
The prophesies in this hour combine symbols of the Cross and Passover. In the first
reading of Exodus 17, we see the Cross in Moses’ victory against Amalek only when he held up
his hands in the sign of the cross. Moses, on the top of the hill, symbolized the Lord Christ who
was crucified on the Mount of Calvary. Joshua and his men of war fighting against Amalek
symbolized the persistent strife of the Church against sin.
The second reading in Exodus 15 speaks of the tree that God showed Moses so that when
he threw it in the bitter water that made it turn sweet. Many fathers saw this tree as the Cross,
which works in the water of Baptism, to transform our life from bitterness to sweetness. Yes, this
is my cross that turns my sadness into joy, suffering into blessing, my thirst into a fountain.
This fountain or spring of the Cross again appears in the third prophesy of Isaiah: "You
shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fa il ”
The final prophesy of Ezekiel contains the Lord’s command of repentance: “Repent, and
turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all
the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. ”
This is gospel, which speaks about the preparation of our Passover, that our hearts are
made ready through fasting, repentance, and worship.
After the prophesies of the first hour are read and the Paschal Doxology is chanted, the
Matins Raising of Incense is prayed according in the following order:
• The Prayer of Thanksgiving

• Morning Raising of Incense & Verses of the Cymbals. This is the first time of the entire
Holy Week that incense is raised. Even during the censing of the church, the priest and
deacon do not kiss the cross, any icons, or books.
• Psalm 50 is then prayed, for we are in the hour of repentance, a reminder of the need to
repent before His Crucifixion. This psalm is also read in this location as in the funeral prayer
for the same reason, to repent before our death.
• Litanies of the Sick and Oblations are prayed as in every Major or Minor Feast of our Lord.
• Morning Prayer and Doxologies are then prayed.
• Creed is recited without saying the “He was crucified....”, because during this time, the
church does not commemorate yet the Crucifixion, Resurrection or Ascension.549
• The Special Hymn, ‘He who offered Himself9is also chanted as on Palm Sunday and Great
Friday, but here to different words.
• Acts: Unlike normal Divine Liturgy, there are no readings from the Pauline or Catholic
Epistles. The first reading is from Acts 1:15-20, regarding the explanation of David’s
prophesy concerning Judas. St. Peter explains how the land that Judas bought with the
money he denied His Lord was cursed, and how Judas had died on this land, “the field of
blood. ”
549 Although one synodal decision in the Age of HH Pope Shenouda III specifically declared that Holy Week is the
only time of the entire church calendar year in which the entire creed is not recited; a following declaration was also
made that seems to indicate that reciting the entire creed is also possible.
Page 271
• Judas Chant: Then, the deacons chant the famous hymn of Judas, while circling the church
in the opposite direction. This is to remember that Judas, had broken the law, and acted
contrary to the proper Christian way.
• Trisagion sung in Paschal tone without mentioning the Resurrection.
• Psalm: This special hymn is chanted to the words of this psalm, which was the same read in
the third hour of the eve of Thursday. As mentioned earlier, this psalm is important in that it
refers to the precious oil poured on the feet of the Lord in preparation for His burial. This
hymn is the same as Pekethronos, which is one of the longest and most beautiful in the
Coptic rite.
• Litany of the Gospel, the Psalm, and the Gospel Reading: The psalm discusses the betrayal of
the Lamb, while the gospel explains the preparations of the Passover Meal that Christ tells
the disciples. As Christ is preparing for the feast; the Devil is preparing for His death. As the
First Passover draws nearer, the Christ, the Lamb is about to be offered and slain.
• Daytime Litanies
E xodus 17:8-16**°
Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. Ând Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men
and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” ^ S o
Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the
hill. ^*And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand,
Amalek prevailed. ^ B u t Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it.
And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady
until the going down of the sun. ^ S o Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
l^Then the L o r d said to Moses, “Write this fo r a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of
Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” ^Ând Moses built an
altar and called its name, The-LoRD-Is-My-Banner; ^ fo r he said, “Because the L o rd has sworn: the L ord
will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
I am amazed, how Moses, while Joshua was fighting Amalek, was sitting with stretched
hands. Although in those critical moments, he should have been praying with his knees bent, his
hands knocking on his chest, and his face flat on the ground...but, for Joshua, it was more
important to carry the symbol of the cross; to conquer with the cross.
Tertullian
Seeing the ferocity of the enemy, Moses raised his hands, symbolically connecting
himself to the Cross.
Father Victorinus
Joshua conquered Amalek with that sign of the cross through Moses.
St. Cyprian
When Christ stretched His hands on the cross, He embraced the whole world...When
Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hands, to give them some
rest, Amalek prevailed. Therefore, let us hold up our hands with the strength of the Cross of
Christ; and let us, everywhere raise pure hands in prayers, “without wrath or a doubting”, in
order to be worthy of God’s help. That is what the apostle James persuades us to do, when he
550 The comments here are all taken from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Exodus, pp. 89-91.
Page 272
says: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” [James 4:7]. Therefore, let us start with full
faith, then the devil will not only flee away from us, but he will be crushed under our feet; as was
Pharaoh, when he drowned in the sea, and was swallowed by the depths of the abyss.
The Scholar Origen
But, to come now to Moses, why, I wonder, did he merely at the time when Joshua was
battling against Amalek, pray sitting with hands expanded, when, in circumstances so critical, he
should rather, surely, to have commended his prayer by knees bended, and hands beating his
breast, and a face prostrate on the ground; except it was that there, where the name of the Lord
Jesus was the theme of speech—destined as He was to enter the lists one day singly against the
devil—the figure of the cross was also necessary, (that figure) through which Jesus was to win
the victory?
Tertullian551
Holding up the hands, is a holding up of all works to God, to be neither lowly nor earthly,
but working for the glory of God and heaven. He holds up his hands, who “lays up for himself
treasures in heaven., for where your treasure is, there your heart will be” (Matt. 6:20, 21); and
there will also be your eyes and hands!...
He holds up his hands, as David the prophet said, “/ lift up my hands as the evening
sacrifice” (Ps. 141:2). But the apostle advises us to “lift up holy hands, without wrath and
doubting” (1 Tim. 2: 8).
If the people keep the Law (the commandments), Moses holds up his hands, and they
would prevail, but if they do not keep it, Amalek would prevail; for we wrestle “against
principalities, against powers, against rulers o f the darkness o f this age, against spiritual hosts
o f wickedness in the heavenly places ” (Eph. 6:12).
If you want to prevail, hold up your hands, lift up your works, and do not waste your days
on earth. Hold up your hands toward God, and keep the apostle’s advice, “Pray without ceasing”
(1 Thess. 5:17); so as the scripture that says: “This company will lick up all that is around us, as
an ox licks up the grass o f the field” (Num. 22:4). This means that the people of God (the
company), uses their tongue, (licks up) and voice more than their hands and weapons. By
pouring its prayers to God, they prevail on their enemy. This is the way to have victory in the
battle over the enemy (the sin).
The Scholar Origen
When Moses was silent, he was crying out; and when he fought, he did that sitting
comfortably, and prevailed over his enemies without approaching them. Although he was sitting
comfortably, and Aaron and Hur were supporting his hands, he was laboring more than all
others, as his hands lifted up, were defeating the enemy; and without them, those who did the
actual fighting could not have prevailed. Thus, Moses spoke up when he was silent, and fought
while sitting comfortably! Did he have greater works, than what he did, during his 40 days
retreat on the Mountain, receiving the Law (Ex. 24:17)? In his solitude, he encountered with
Him, who was not far from him, and was talking to Him.
St. Ambrose
551 Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews, Ch. 10, ANF, v. 3.
Page 273
A-
4
I X O D U S 1 5 : 2 3 - 2 7 552
Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore
the name of it was called Marah. 24And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” ^ S o
he cried out to the L o r d , and the L or d showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were
made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them, -ând said, “If you
diligently heed the voice of the L o r d your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and
keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the
L o r d who heals you.” ^ T h en they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm
trees; so they camped there by the waters.
What is the symbol tree cast in the waters?
The chalice of the Law is bitter... but when we cast in it the tree of wisdom of Christ, that
reveals to us how to apprehend the statutes of circumcision, of the Sabbath, and those of the
leprous, and how to discern between the clean and the unclean. Then the waters of ‘Marah’
would be made sweet. The literality of the Law turns into the sweetness of spiritual meaning, and
then the people of God could drink.. .If somebody wants to drink out of the literality of the Law,
away of the tree of life, away of the secrets of the cross, of the faith in Christ, and the spiritual
comprehension, he would taste bitterness. The Apostle Paul realized this fact, and said: “The
letter kills”...When the cross entered into the commandments, it made them sweet. Following
them spiritually, these same stiff commandments turned into ones for life.
The Scholar Origen
The water of Marah has been very bitter, but then, when Moses cast the tree into it, it was
made sweet. For the water without preaching the cross of the Lord, is useless for salvation. But
once it is dedicated by the secret of the cross of salvation, it becomes suitable to be used in the
spiritual font, and the chalice of salvation. As Moses cast the tree into the water of Marah, in the
same way the priest utters, over the font of Baptism the testimony of the cross of the Lord, to
turn the water sweet, because of the work of grace.
St. Ambrose
For man, who leaves behind the (Egyptian) pleasures, that he used to enjoy before
crossing the sea, life, that seemed to him, without these pleasures, difficult and unacceptable,
once the tree - the cross - is cast into it, meaning once he accepts the secret of resurrection that
begins by it, the virtuous life would then turn sweet, through the hope in the coming things, and
would be even sweeter than what the senses feel, out of lusts.
St. Gregory of Nyssa
What is the symbol of the 12 wells and the 70palm trees?
If Marah carries a reference to the Law, becoming spiritual by the Cross, and to Baptism,
with what it embraces of the work of the cross and the power of resurrection, the people have to
cross over from Marah to Elim (Ex. 15:27); from the Law to the New Testament in which they
found twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, as a reference to the twelve apostles, and the
seventy disciples.
Fr. Tadros Malaty
552 Excerpts taken from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Exodus.
Page 274
m
God made it on purpose, not to bring the people to Elim from the beginning, to where
there are twelve wells with no bitterness whatsoever, and where there is a place of comfort under
the palm trees...
When the bitterness of the Law turns sweet by the tree of life (Prov. 3:18), we shall then
comprehend the Law spiritually, and the crossover from the Old Testament to the New
Testament will be completed. By this we shall reach the twelve wells of water and the seventy
palm trees.
It is not enough for the people of God to drink from the water of Marah, after it became
sweet by the tree of life, and after it lost the bitterness of the letter by the sublimity of the cross.
As the Old Testament alone is not enough for drinking, we have to come to the New Testament,
to drink from it without difficulty.
The Scholar Origen
The secret of the tree, through which the water of virtue becomes joyful for the thirsty,
would lead us to the twelve wells of water, and to the seventy palm trees, namely to the teachings
of the gospel.
St. Gregory of Nyssa
ISAI AH 5 8 : 1 - 1 1
“Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house
of Jacob their sins. ^Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness,
And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in
approaching God. ^’Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and
You take no notice?’ “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. Îndeed you
fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make
your voice heard on high. Îs it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his
head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the
L o r d ? 6’7s this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To
let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 7Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that
you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide
yourself from your own flesh? ^Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth
speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the L or d shall be your rear guard. 9Then you
shall call, and the L or d will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am. ’ “If you take away the yoke from
your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, ^ I f you extend your soul to the hungry And
satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
11The L o r d will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You
shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
When you hear Isaiah saying, “Break your breadfor the hungry, ” do not think that fast is
enough by itself. Fast controls your soul, yet it does not revive others. Your own humility
benefits you if it comforts others. Do you deny yourself? Look at whom you have given what
you denied yourself? How many poor got fulfilled by the food, which you denied yourself?...Do
you want to raise your prayer to God? Provide it with two wings: almsgiving and fasting... God
promptly responds to my prayer because I do not seek worldly happiness, goodies, health,
victory over enemies, wealth, or positions.
St Augustine553
Page 275
He taught them to break their bread to the hungry, to take in those with no shelter, to
clothe the naked, and not to hide themselves from their own flesh and blood. And now, the
benefit to the giver (through his giving) is greater than that of the taker.
Fast is not counted as good in its own nature, but becomes ‘good’ and pleases God if
combined with other works. Moreover, fast could be considered - through prevailing
circumstances - not only in vain, but also repulsive, according to the words of the Lord: ‘When
you fast, I shall not listen to your prayers ”
Abbot Theonas555
E z e k i e l 18*2 0 - 3 2
The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the
son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon
himself.
21’’But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does
what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22None of the transgressions which he has committed
shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. 23Do I have any
pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord G o d , “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
24”But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according
to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be
remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of
them he shall die.
25”Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is
fair, and your ways which are not fair? 26When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits
iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. 27Again, when a wicked
man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves
himself alive. 28Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall
surely live; he shall not die. 29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it
not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?
30”Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord G o d .
“Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 31Cast away from you
all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why
should you die, O house of Israel? 32For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord G o d .
“Therefore turn and live!
For the sake of those who are in danger of despair, He offered the refuge of forgiveness;
and for the sake of those in danger of slothfulness; through resorting to postponing, He made the
date of death not sure....If they listen to this voice, and believe in it, they would be cured from
despair, and would be saved from that bottomless pit in which they fall...We should not give up
hope in anyone, as long as God’s long-suffering leads the wicked to repentance; We should not
expel him from this life... Do not despair of salvation. Remember what is written in the Holy
Book, that, “Will they fall and not rise? Will one turn away and not return? (Jeremiah 8:4). The
wounded will be healed; He; who would fell a prey to the wild beasts will get away; and he, who
would confess his sins will not be despised... It is time for bearing and long-suffering, for healing
and correction. Did you stumble? Get up! Did you trespass? Do not do it any more!
St. Augustine556
554 St. Gregory Nazianzen, On His Father’s Silence, 20, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.

555 In St. John Cassian, Conferences 21, §14, NPNF, s. 2, v. 11.
556 St. Augustine, an excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty Patristic Commentary on Ezekiel, p. 129.
Page 276
Repentance is ‘life’, which is better than death...Hasten to it, 0 sinner! Embrace it, like
when one drowning would holdfast even to some board to help him float among the waves of
sins; and to carry him to the divine port full of compassion.
Tertullian557
I wish we stand fast in our strife every day; knowing that if we get slothful for just one
day, God will not forgive us for the sake of the past; but His wrath will come on us... Judas has
lost all his previous strife because of one night.
St. Antony the Great558
P s a l m § 4 s 2 l t 12
His words were smoother than oil, yet they were drawn swords. For if an enemy had reproached me, I
would have endured it; and if one who hated me has exalted himself against me, then I could hide from him.
See Third hour o f the Eve o f Great Thursday for comments.

L u k e 2 2 : 7 - 13
Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. Ând He sent Peter and John,
saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.” ^So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to
prepare?” ^ A n d He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher
of water; follow him into the house which he enters. **Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher
says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ‘ ^T h en he will show you
a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.” ^ S o they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they
prepared the Passover.
Christ is represented everywhere by means of shadows and types, both as slain for us, as
the innocent and true Lamb, and as sanctifying us by His life-giving Blood. We further find the
words of the holy prophets in complete agreement with those of most wise Moses.. .he was then
sacrificed for us as the innocent and true Lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month. This
feast day was cailed Pascha, a word belonging to the Hebrew language and signifying the
Passover... The name of the feast on which Emmanuel bore for us the saving Cross was the
Pascha...
Why did He not plainly mention the man to those whom he sent? Already Judas the
traitor had promised the Jews to deliver Him unto them, and was continuing in His company
watching for an opportunity.. .He gives a sign, therefore, to prevent Judas from learning who the
man was, and running to tell those who had hired him.. .He did this in order that Judas might not
deliver Him to His murderers before the Feast of the Pascha which He desired to celebrate with
them [Luke 22:15]...There perchance is a mystical signification. For whither the waters enter,
even those of holy Baptism, there lodges Christ.”
557 Tertullian, an excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty Patristic Commentary on Ezekiel, p. 129.
558 St. Antony, an excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty Patristic Commentary on Ezekiel, p. 129.
559 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 141 on Luke, pp. 564-566.
Page 277
1^— 1
Prepare for H is C o m in g
Ex. 32:30-33:5; Sir. 24:1-15; Zech. 9:11-14; Prov. 29:27-30:1; Ps. 93:21, 23 Mat. 26:17-19
In the first prophesy we see the symbol of Moses telling the people of God of their sin,
and that he will “go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin... ” Moses
attempted to make atonement by standing in between God and His sinful people—the symbol of
the Cross. On the Cross, the Lord offered the true, eternal, and perfect atonement that Moses
could not offer.
The reading of Sirach speaks of the Wisdom or Logos, who came from the Father, dwelt
in Jacob and ruled in Jerusalem.
The third reading from Zechariah speaks of His resurrection from the “pit” (v. 9:11),
with the trumpet is blown (v. 14), and blood at the altar (v. 15).
This psalm speaks of those who seek after the righteous to bring them either into sin,
suffering or death. St. Augustine says that God allows this to happen so that we may be
corrected, as a father chastens his beloved children.
The gospel of the third hour again speaks of the preparation of the Passover from the
book of Matthew.
E xodus 3 2*3CU33:5
Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. So
now I will go up to the L o r d ; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 3 iThen Moses returned to the L o r d
and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! 32Yet now, if
You will forgive their sin--but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.” Â nd the
L o r d said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. ^ N o w therefore, go, lead
the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the
day when I visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin.”
35So the L or d plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.
33;1Then the L o r d said to Moses, “Depart and go up from here, you and the people whom you have
brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your
descendants I will give it.’ 2And I will send My Angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite and the
Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. ^Go up to a land flowing with milk and
honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.” Ând
when the people heard this bad news, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments. ^For the L o r d had said
to Moses, “Say to the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one
moment and consume you. Now therefore, take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to you.’”
That was the top care of great and noble people, not to seek what is theirs, but what is
their neighbor’s. By that, they gained more light and splendor...Moses did many wonders and
miracles. Yet, it was one thing that made him the greatest, that blessed talk with God...Is he not
the same person who escaped for fear of one man (Pharaoh), and went to exile? Yet, having
tasted the honey of love, he offered to die together with his beloved... .This is how the saints are.
They count the death together with their children, sweeter tfmnthe life without them.
St. John Chrysostom
Page 278
Behold the strength and incomparable perfection of love! The servant talks freely to his
Master, asking Him to pardon his people, or else to let him die together with them
St. Clement of Rome
How great he is; He would rather die together with his people, than to get saved alone.
S irach 24;1-1S
Wisdom will praise herself, and will glory in the midst of her people.
2 In the assembly of the Most High she will open her mouth, and in the presence of his host she will glory 3 “I came
forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a mist. 4 I dwelt in high places, and my
throne was in a pillar of cloud.5 Alone I have made the circuit of the vault of heaven and have walked in the depths
of the abyss.6 In the waves of the sea, in the whole earth, and in every people and nation I have gotten a possession.
7 Among all these I sought a resting place; I sought in whose territory I might lodge.8 “Then the Creator of all things
gave me a commandment, and the One who created me assigned a place for my tent. And he said, 'Make your
dwelling in Jacob, and in Israel receive your inheritance.’ 9 From eternity, in the beginning, He created me, and
for eternity I shall not cease to exist.10 In the holy tabernacle I ministered before Him, and so I was established in
Zion. 11 In the beloved city likewise He gave me a resting place, and in Jerusalem was my dominion. 12 So I
took root in an honored people, in the portion of the Lord, who is their inheritance. 13 “I grew tall like a cedar in
Lebanon, and like a cypress on the heights of Hermon.14 I grew tall like a palm tree in En-ge’di, and like rose plants
in Jericho; like a beautiful olive tree in the field, and like a plane tree I grew ta ll.15 Like cassia and camel’s thorn I
gave forth the aroma of spices, and like choice myrrh I spread a pleasant odor, like galbanum, onycha, and
stacte, and like the fragrance of frankincense in the tabernacle.
The breath of God spoken of in verse 3 refers to our Lord’s divinity as well as His
Incarnation. The fathers interpreted the verse, “I came forth from the mouth o f the Most High,
and covered the earth like a mist ” to demonstrate that the Son was begotten of the Father, but
was not created by Him, nor did He come after Him, but existed from the beginning with Him.
But, again, they object that breath is understood to have been emitted from the mouth of
God; and if we believe that is the soul, we must consequently acknowledge it to be of the same
substance, and equal to that wisdom, which says, “I come out o f the mouth o f the Most High. ”
Wisdom, indeed, does not say it was breathed out of the mouth of God, but proceeded out of it.
But as we are able, when we breathe, to make a breath, not of our own human nature, but of the
surrounding air, which we inhale and exhale as we draw our breath and breathe again, so
almighty God was able to make breath, not of His own nature, nor of the creature beneath Him,
but even of nothing; and this breath, when He communicated it to man’s body, He is most
appropriately said to have breathed or inspired—the Immaterial breathing it also immaterial, but
the Immutable not also the immutable; for it was created, He uncreated. Yet that these persons
who are forward to quote Scripture, and yet know not the usages of its language, may know that
not only what is equal and consubstantial with God is said to proceed out of His mouth, let them
hear or read what God says: “So then because you art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will
spit you out o f my mouth. ” [Rev. 3:16]
St. Augustine560
If, then, we enquire into His natural pre-eminence, we find it to consist in being begotten.
To deny that the Son of God is begotten [of God] is to deny that He is God’s own Son, and to
deny Christ to be God’s own Son is to class Him with the rest of mankind, as no more a Son than
560 St. Augustine, City of God, Ch. 24, NPNF, s. 1, v. 2.
Page 279
any of the rest. If, however, we enquire into the distinctive property of His generation, it is this,
The Holy Pascha
that He came forth from God. For whilst, in our experience, to come out implies something
already existent, and that which is said to come out seems to proceed forth from hidden and
inward places, we, though it be presented but in short passages, observe the peculiar attribute of
the Divine Generation, that the Son does not seem to have come forth out of any place, but as
God from God, a Son from a Father, nor to have had a beginning in the course of time, having
come forth from the Father by being bom, as He Himself Who was bom said: “I came forth from
the mouth o f the Most High. ”
With good reason, therefore, is He called the Speech and the Word of God, because God,
by a certain incomprehensible energy and power of His majesty, enclosed the vocal spirit
proceeding from His mouth, which he had not conceived in the womb, but in His mind, within a
form which has life through its own perception and wisdom, and He also fashioned other spirits
of His into angels. Our spirits are liable to dissolution, because we are mortal: but the spirits of
God both live, and are lasting, and have perception; because He Himself is immortal, and the
Giver both of perception and life. Our expressions, although they are mingled with the air, and
fade away, yet generally remain comprised in letters; how much more must we believe that the
voice of God both remains for ever, and is accompanied with perception and power, which it has
derived from God the Father, as a stream from its fountain! But if any one wonders that God
could be produced from God by a putting forth of the voice and breath, if he is acquainted with
the sacred utterances of the prophets he will cease to wonder. That Solomon and his father David
were most powerful kings, and also prophets, may perhaps be known even to those who have not
applied themselves to the sacred writings; the one of whom, who reigned subsequently to the
other, preceded the destruction of the city of Troy by one hundred and forty years. His father, the
writer of sacred hymns, thus speaks in the thirty-second Psalm: “By the word o f God we, re the
heavens made firm; and all their power by the breath o f His mouth. ” [Ps 33:6] And also again in
the forty-fourth Psalm: “My heart has given utterance to a good word; I speak o f my doings
towards the king; “ [Ps. 45:1] testifying, in truth, that the works of God are known to no other
than to the Son alone, who is the Word of God, and who must reign for ever. Solomon also
shows that it is the Word of God, and no other, by whose hands these works of the world were
made. He says, “I came forth out o f the mouth o f the Most High before all creatures: I caused
the light that does not fail to arise in the heavens, and covered the whole earth with a cloud. I
have dwelt in the height, and my throne is in the pillar o f the cloud. ” [Sirach 24:5-7] John also
taught this: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him
was not anything made. ” [John 1:1-3]
Bishop Lactantius562
Ze c h a r i a h 9:11-14
“As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the
waterless pit. ^ R e t u r n t 0 the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double
to you. ^ F o r I have bent Judah, My bow, Fitted the bow with Ephraim, And raised up your sons, O Zion, Against
your sons, O Greece, And made you like the sword of a mighty man.” ^T h en the L o r d w ill be seen over them,
And His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord God will blow the trumpet, And go with whirlwinds from
561 St. Ambrose, Exposition of the Christian Faith, Book 1, Ch. 17, §110, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10.
562 Bishop Lactantius, The Divinity Institutes, Book 4, Ch. 8, ANF, v. 7.
Page 280
the south. l ^ T h e L o r d of hosts will defend them; They shall devour and subdue with slingstones. They shall drink
and roar as if with wine; They shall be filled with blood like basins, Like the comers of the altar.
The angel was sitting upon the stone with which the tomb was closed, but which had
been rolled away, to teach us that [Christ] had cast down and triumphed over the closed places of
the lower world by His power, so that He might lift up to the light and the rest of paradise all of
His own whom He found there, according to the prophet’s statement, “As for you also, Because
o f the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. ” [Zech. 9:11].
P r o v e r b s 2 9 : 2 7 - 3 O; t 564
An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to
the wicked. ^0:1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel-to Ithiel and Ucal:
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal: ^Surely I am
more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man. ^1 neither learned wisdom Nor have
knowledge of the Holy One. ^Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His
fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and
what is His Son’s name, If you know? Êvery word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in
Him. ^Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
P s al m £ 3 : 2 l t 23
21 They will hunt for the soul of the righteous and condemn innocent blood. 23 he will recompense to
them their iniquity and their wickedness: the Lord our God shall utterly destroy them.
[God] tries us, scourges us, by means of the wicked. What does God prepare us for by
scourging? For the kingdom of heaven. “For He scourges every son whom He receives; for what
son is he whom the father does not chasten? ” and when God does this, He is teaching us in order
to an eternal heritage. He often teaches us this through wicked men—He tries and perfects our
love, which He wills to be extended even to our enemies.
...Thus also they who persecuted the Martyrs, by persecuting them on earth, sent them
into heaven: knowingly they caused them the loss of the present life, while unconsciously they
were bestowing upon them the gain of a future life: but, nevertheless, unto all who persevered in
their wicked hatred of the righteous, will God recompense after their own iniquities, and in their
own malice will He destroy them. For as the goodness of the righteous is hurtful unto the
wicked, so is the iniquity of the wicked beneficial unto the righteous.
St. Augustine565
M a t t h e w 2 6 j 17^19
Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him,
“Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” ^ A n d He said, “Go into the city to a certain man,
and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ‘“
l^So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
563 Bede the Venerable, Homily on the Gospels, 2.7, CS 111, p. 62; AACS OT v. 14, p. 261.
564 This reading is also not included in many books.
565 St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalms, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8.
Page 281
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church -i The Holy Pascha
Which day is thefirst day o f the Feast o f the Unleamned bread?
By the “first day” of the feast of the unleavened bread, he means the day before that feast;
for they are accustomed always to reckon the day from the evening; and he makes mention of
this in which in the evening the Passover must be sacrificed. For it was on the fifth day of the
week that they came to Him...Another says “And the day o f the unleavened bread came, in
which it was necessary for the Passover to be sacrificed. ” [Luke 22:7] By the word ‘came ’ he
means began with the evening, wherefore also each adds, when the Passover was sacrificed.
Who is this ‘mrtain man* [Mt 26:18; Mk 14:13; L k 22:19/?
Saying ‘a certain man’ does not reveal a name but indicates anyone of the saints. For the
Word governs over every saint. The disciples of the Lord are the first He receives—evangelists,
apostles foreordained in their souls even in the same way as the Christ. He does not exclude;
rather, unbidden, the Holy Spirit dwells within each from the hour of holy baptism. So this
‘certain man’ is the one with the ‘earthen pot washed with water’ as described by Mark [14:13]
and Luke [22:10].
I think that the man ‘carrying a jug of water’ [Luke 22:10] whom the disciples met when
they entered the city and whom Jesus wanted them to follow into his house was bringing it into
his house not only that the house might be clean but also more richly endowed. He was serving
the head of the household (that is the intellect), bearing purifying water in an earthly vessel “that
the heights o f power might belong to God. ” [2 Cor. 4:7] Or perhaps he was supplying potable
water in the earthen vessel so that the Son of God could provide new growth to the vine, for the
servant of the intellect is the water of the Law and the Prophets which must be mixed with the
wine of the evangelical word. But we who wish to belong to the Church and to celebrate the
Passover with Jesus follow that man, whom I believe to be Moses568, giver of the law, who bears
this kind of water carrying spiritual doctrine about in historical vessels.
The Passover affords a more than usually solemn day for baptism. For that is the day
when in effect the lord’s passion, into which we are baptized was completed.. .nor will it be
incongruous to interpret figuratively the fact that, when the Lord was about to celebrate the last
Passover, He told the disciples who were sent to make preparation that they would meet a man
bearing water. He thus points out the place for celebrating the Passover by the sign of water.
Tertullian570
566 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 81, PG 58:773 (cols. 729, 730)
567 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Fragment 285, ACCS, vol. lb, p. 245.
568 In this complex allegory, Origin’s description of this man as Moses is understood symbolically. For this man
was either St. Mark or one of his servants, thus the servant of the Church will gather this water to celebrate the
Passover, the Paschal Feast.
569 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 79, ACCS v. lb, p. 245.
570 Tertullian, On Baptism, Ch. 19, ANF, v. 3, p. 678.
Page 282
Why did the disciples mk the Lord, 'Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the
Passover (v. 17)?
From this it is evident He had no house, nor any place in which to live, and I suppose
neither did they. For surely they would have asked Him to come there. But none of them had
anything, having given away all their worldly possessions.
But it was not only because they had no home, that the disciples asked this question. But,
it was also because the Passover was celebrated on a family level according to the Jewish
custom...Every family would slaughter the Passover sheep. If the family could not afford that,
they could join another family in performing this ritual. But the Lord Jesus provided a new
concept for the new Passover. The family that celebrates it, has the head of Jesus Christ Himself,
and the members are related on a spiritual basis in Christ, and through any blood relation. "When
evening had come, He sat down with the twelve, now as they were eating, He said, \Assuredly I
say to you, one o f you will betray M e . (Matt. 26:20-21) What is surprising is that the Lord
spoke of His betrayer in the midst of them all, without pointing at him. The Lord was concerned
about His own salvation, without hurting the betrayer’s feelings. But when the Lord saw they
were truly sorrowful, and each of them asked Him, “Lord, is it I? ” (Matt. 26:22) The Lord was
concerned about them lest they be disturbed and die in their despair, and therefore He had to
point at him.
Lest the disciples assume that what was about to happen to the Lord is out of weakness,
He confirmed to them assumingly “The Son o f Man indeed goes just as it is written o f Him, but
woe to that man by whom the Son o f Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man i f he
had not been born. ” (Matt. 26:24) The Lord declared the misery that would befall Judas so as to
assure them that what is being fulfilled, even though it is of God’s provision, yet what Judas was
doing is not to e fulfilled without his own will. Judas was evil indeed, and God has used his
wickedness to fulfill His divine issues.
Why did He keep the Passomr?
Why did He keep the Passover? To indicate in every way and until the last day that He
was not opposed to the law. And for what possible reason does He send them to an unknown
person? To also show by this that He might have avoided suffering. For He had the power to
change the minds of those who crucified Him. so it is once again clear: He is willing to suffer.
When those things which belonged to shadows had passed away and the preaching of the
Gospel was about to extend everywhere.. .and the Savior, also, since He was changing the typical
for the spiritual, promised them that they should no longer eat the flesh of the lamb, but His own.
St. Athanasius574
571 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 81, PG 58:773, ACCS, v. lb, p. 245.
572 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Matthew 26.
573 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 81, PG 58:773, ACCS, v. lb, p. 245.
574 St. Athanasius, letter 4 for Pascha 332, §4 in Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, s. 4, pp. 516-517.
Page 283
Prepare the H ouse

Jer.7:2-15; Ez. 20:39-44; Sir.l2:13-13:l; Ps.30:,18,3;Mk. 14:12-16
In the Sixth Hour, the Lord urges His people to repent, to help the neighbor, the stranger,
the orphan and the widow. The Lord pushes them to prepare His house, so that it is not a den of
robbers.
In the prophesy of Jeremiah, we read about the filth of the Jewish temple that Jeremiah
condemns as a “den o f thieves. ” Truly the Lord have this temple destroyed and rebuilt, a symbol
of His forthcoming death and Resurrection.
In Ezekiel, the Lord reminds His people again of this desire to worship Him not only in
the temple, but on His “holy mountain, on the mountain height o f Israel. ” For it is on this
mountain top of worship and prayer that we, the people of God, will worship Him.
Sirach prophesies about the enemies of the Lord who throw Him into the “pit”—
unsatisfied until they shed His blood.
The gospel reading is the same passage as in the previous hour, but this time from the
gospel of St. Mark (instead of Matthew). This house is the first Church, our Church, which must
be prepared for Christ’s coming. Thus we speak of the preparation of the entire Church for the
Lord’s coming and Second Coming.
J eremiah 7:2~15
“Stand in the gate of the L o r d ’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the
L o r d , all you o f Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the L o r d !’ “ ^Thus says the L o r d of hosts, the
God of Israel: “Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. ^Do not trust in
these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the L o r d , the temple of the L o r d , the temple of the L o r d are these.’
5For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a
man and his neighbor, H f you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed
innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, ^then I will cause you to dwell in this
place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.
8”Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. ^Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear
falsely, bum incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, ^ a n d then come and stand before
Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? ^ H as this
house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, ” says
the L o r d .
12”But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it
because of the wickedness of My people Israel, n0w, because you have done all these works,” says the
L o r d , “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not
answer, ^therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to this place which I
gave to you and your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. ^ A n d I will cast you out of My sight, as I have cast out all
your brethren~the whole posterity of Ephraim.
The prophet Jeremiah was in an awkward position; he was called by the Lord to stand in
the gate of the Lord’s house to talk to the multitudes who enter through those gates to practice
the formalities and not the spirit of worship; and who refuse to listen to a word of reproach or
criticism. Among those multitudes, were undoubtedly the priests of Anathoth, who carry the
memories of childhood and youth; remembering the boldness of Jeremiah, and how he is capable
to provoke the multitudes against them for not keeping the law. We can imagine the situation of
Page 284
V-
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church ■i The Holy Pascha
Jeremiah and the atmosphere surrounding him, as he stands to confront the multitudes, seeking
their repentance, as such: The multitudes were rejoicing for the work of reform of the temple,
toward which no hand was stretched for the last 250 years.
In the midst of that rejoicing, Jeremiah, alone, stood attacking the outer reform that was
not based on the change of the heart and the living spiritual behavior. Jeremiah, according to
them, was the sharp critic, who turns the rejoicing into grief; and instead of commending those
carrying out the work, he criticizes every one...The temple represented God’s presence among
His people to sanctify them; Yet, if they leaned on that notion, without caring to sanctify their
life, the house would lose its concept; and would even turn from a house of praise, into “a den o f
thieves ” (Jer. 7:11)—the same expression that was used by the Lord Christ, when He drove out
the moneychangers and those who sold doves from the temple (Matt. 21:13).
God wishes to dwell among His people to sanctify them; but if they intend to live with
hard hearts without repentance, they would not bear His presence among them. And as the Lord
said to the prophet Moses: “Say to the children o f Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. I could
come up into your midst in one moment and consume you ” (Ex. 33: 5).
St. John Chrysostom
It is fitting for those who say, “The temple o f the Lord, the temple o f the Lord?’ (Jer.
7:4), to listen to the words of the apostle Paul, “You are the temple o f the living God ” (2 Cor.
6:16); and, “The Holy Spirit dwells in you” (Rom. 8:11). Reaching to the royal court is easy,
whether you are in Britain or in Jerusalem; because “the kingdom o f God is within you” (Lk.
17:21). St. Anthony, together with his monks in Egypt, Pontes, Cappadocia, and Armenia;
Although they have never seen Jerusalem, yet the gate of paradise was opened before them. The
blessed St. Hilarion, although he used to live in Palestine, yet he saw Jerusalem only for one day;
as he felt that being that close to the holy places, he should not neglect to see them; Yet, he
believed at the same time, that he should not limit God to a designated place.
St. Jerome
That temple was beautiful, amazing, and holy. Yet, when those using it got corrupted, it
became despised, and defiled; and came to be called, “a den o f thieves.” Then it was eventually
delivered to the hands of the barbarians, the corrupt, and the defiled...If we are slothful, we
cannot gain our salvation, even with the help of others.. .1 say this, not to let you stop seeking the
prayers of saints, but to put an end to leaning on that, while being cast on your backs...How
great are the blessings of saints, if we also work?
St. John Chrysostom
E zekiel t Ch3 9** 4 4

“As for you, O house of Israel,” thus says the Lord G o d : “ G o , serve every one of you his idols—and
hereafter—if you will not obey Me; but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols. ^ F o r on My
holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel,” says the Lord God, “there all the house of Israel, all of
them in the land, shall serve Me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the first
fruits of your sacrifices, together with all your holy things. ^ 1 will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring
you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be
hallowed in you before the Gentiles. ^ T h e n you shall know that I am the L o r d , w hen I bring you into the land o f
Israel, into the country for which I raised My hand in an oath to give to your fathers. 43And there you shall
575 Commentary on Jeremiah, as well as the following excerpts.
Page 285
tit
remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own
sight because of all the evils that you have committed. ^ T h e n y 0U shall know that I am the L o rd , when I have dealt
with you for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of
Israel,” says the Lord God.’ “
In all that, He does not act for the sake of revenge; but for chastisement, in order to bring
them into a new covenant: He brings them over to a wilderness, but not that of Sinai, as He did
with their fathers, but to a condition of drought within their captivity; and will scatter them
among the Gentiles, for the sake of their repentance under the rod.
He portrayed the diversion of Israel toward idolatry, as being an ancient diversion,
violent, and with deadly results. But despite that dark and evil past, yet, and in the same chapter,
He shines on them with a future full of hope, of returning from captivity, and of their reform; as
a symbol of man’s return from the captivity of sin, and of the reform of his corrupt nature. He
brings us into His “holy mountain, ” into His sanctuaries; the mountain heights; namely, to the
Church of Christ, where we worship God in Jesus Christ; and where He will accept our offerings
as a sweet aroma for His pleasure (Ez. 20 41). This salvation is not because of our own
worthiness; but through free grace.
S irach 12:13~13:1
13Who will pity a snake charmer bitten by a serpent, or any who go near wild beasts? 14 So no one will pity
a man who associates with a sinner and becomes involved in his sins. 15 He will stay with you for a time, but if you
falter, he will not stand by you. 16 An enemy will speak sweetly with his lips, but in his mind he will plan to
throw you into a pit; an enemy will weep with his eyes, but if he finds an opportunity his thirst for blood will
be insatiable. 17 If calamity befalls you, you will find him there ahead of you; and while pretending to help you, he
will trip you by the heel;18he will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his expression.
1Whoever touches pitch will be defiled, and whoever associates with a proud man will become like him.
“Who will pity, ” he says, "the charmer that is bitten by a serpent?” (Sir. 12:13) When
we pity not our own selves, tell me, who will pity us? If you see a man piercing himself with a
sword, will you be able to spare his life? By no means. Much more, when having it in our power
to do well we do not do well, who will spare us? No one! Let us pity ourselves. When we pray
to God, saying, “Lord, have mercy upon me,” let us say it to ourselves, and have mercy
upon ourselves. We are the arbiters of God’s having mercy upon us. This grace He has
bestowed upon us. If we do things worthy of mercy, worthy of His loving-kindness towards
us, God will have mercy upon us. But if we have not mercy on ourselves, who will spare us?
Have mercy on your neighbor, and you will find mercy of God Himself.
How many every day come to you, saying, “Have mercy on me,” and you do not
turn towards them; how many naked, how many maimed, and we do not bend toward
them, but dismiss their supplications. How then do you claim to obtain mercy, when you
yourself do nothing worthy of mercy? Let us become compassionate, let us become
merciful, that so we may be well-pleasing to God, and obtain the good things promised to
those that love Him, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ...
576 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Ezekiel, Ch. 20.

577 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 9 on the Thessalonians, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8.
Page 286
P salm 3 C h l f 13
În You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. ^ F o r I hear
the slander of many; Fear is on every side; While they take counsel together against me, They scheme to take away
my life.
r r / L / 'r c c
M ark 1 4 :0 -1 6 "
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him,
“Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?” 13And He sent out two of His disciples
and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. ^W herever he
goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover
with My disciples?” ‘ ^ T h en he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for
us.” l^So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared
the Passover.
It seems to me that this [Upper] room symbolizes the spiritual law which, emerges from
the restrains of the written record, receives the Savior in a lofty place. Paul says that what he
formerly counted as gain, he now despised as loss and refuse, that he might prepare a worthy
guest chamber for the Lord.
St. Jerome 578
578 St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew, 4.26.19, AACS lb, p. 245.
Page 287
Symbols o f the N ew C o v e n a n t
Gen. 22:1-19; Is. 61:1-6; Gen. 14:17-20; Job 27:1-28:13; Ps. 22:1; Matt. 26:17-19
This is the last hour of the preparation of the Passover. This hour of the Pascha illustrates
the symbols of the New Covenant.
The first symbol is that of the Cross. Thus the first prophesy speaks of the Sacrifice of
Isaac in Genesis.
The second symbol is that of the Holy Spirit which comes on the day of Pentecost. Thus
the second prophesy speaks of the anointing of the Holy Spirit from Isaiah.
Third, we read from Genesis again, this time of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which the
Lord will institute on this day by blessing the bread and wine into His honored Body and
precious Blood.
We conclude the Old Testament readings with a reference from Job about the suffering
and struggle of man in the world with the will of God, which the Lord will experience as well at
Gethsemane.
This is then compared to the very special Psalm 22, which describes the Lord as our
Shepherd who satisfies us from all our needs. He is the Provider of our Souls who leads us to the
waters of rest. This symbol prepares us for the waters which He washes us with in the next hour.
Finally, the gospel reading from St. Matthew, which is the same gospel reading as in the
third hour above but continued in the following verses referring to the last hour of the
preparation of the Passover.
Genesis 2 2 : 1 - 19 f v
Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said,
“Here I am.” ^Then He said, “Take now your son, your only â&Jsaac, whom you love, and go to the land of
Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
^ So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him,
and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had
told him. ^Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. Ând Abraham said to his
young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”
^So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a
knife, and the two of them went together. ^But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he
said, “Here I am, my son ” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
Ând Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went
together.
^Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the
wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. ^ A n d Abraham stretched out
his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ^ B u t the Angel of the L o r d called to him from heaven and said,
“Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” ^ A n d He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to
him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” ^T h en
Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham
went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. ^ A n d Abraham called the name of
the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of The L o r d it shall be provided.”
T h e n the Angel of the L o r d called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, ^ a n d said: “By Myself I
have sworn, says the L o r d , because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—
^blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the
Page 288
sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. ^ I n your seed all the
nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” ^ S o Abraham returned to his young
men, and they rose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
If the Church treasures the ‘Great Thursday’ or the ‘Thursday of the Covenant’, in which
it remembers how the Lord Christ offered the sacrifice of the New Testament to His disciples on
the cross; the Church did not find a more perfect living portrait of the work of the cross, on
which God, the Father, offers His Son as redemption of the world, than the offering by Abraham
of his son to the Lord. That is why the ‘Fraction’ of the Liturgy of the Great Thursday deals with
the sacrifice of Isaac. The ages will see in this work of faith a living and an exalted example that
reveals the sacrifice of Christ the Lord.
The Faith of Abraham
Abraham, not knowing what would happen, and deciding to offer his son according to
God’s command, refrained from telling his wife what was going on... That teaches us to keep our
works of love, even from those dear to us, unless it is absolutely necessary.
St. John Chrysostom
Abraham has been tested by offering his beloved son Isaac to proclaim his piety of
obedience, not to God, but to the world. Not every temptation is meant as a reproof, but it could
be as a commendation.
St. Augustine
By Spirit, the apostle Paul, most probably knew the emotions and thoughts of Abraham,
proclaiming them by saying: “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he
who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, o f whom it was said, fIn Isaac
your seed shall be called’, accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead”
(Hebrew 11: 17 - 19). The apostle provided us with the thoughts of that man of faith concerning
Isaac; and that was the first time that faith in resurrection was revealed, demonstrated in
Abraham’s hope in the resurrection of Isaac.
The Scholar Origen
As Abraham was obedient to God, in exalted love, He gave him Isaac, also obedient with
true love, as though God rewarded Abraham in his son, before granting him the eternal
reward...If that wood referred to the Cross on which the real Isaac would be lifted up, then its
splitting by the hands of Abraham before going on his way refers to the proclamations of God
the Father, concerning the Cross through the symbols and prophecies of the Old Testament
before being carried by the Lord Christ, then lifted up on it as a burnt offering! God revealed the
secret of the Cross in various ways, but the eyes of many were blinded to behold it...
Abraham did not go for just one or two days, but for three days, before seeing the place
from afar off. As Origen said, the third day refers to the resurrection of the Lord Christ, as
though Abraham had entered with the Lord into the tomb, after sharing His passions, until the
light of His resurrection shone on the dawn of Sunday (the third day)...
Fr. Tadros Malaty
579 The following references are included in Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Genesis.
Page 289
Isaac’s Obedience
Isaac himself carries the wood for His own holocaust: this is a figure of Christ. For He
bore he burden of the Cross; yet to carry the wood for the holocaust is really the duty of the
priest. He is then both victim and priest.
The Scholar Origen
When Isaac carried the wood of the burnt offering, he was a symbol of the Lord Christ
who carried the cross to the place of His passion. This secret was previously proclaimed by the
prophets, as for example,...” and the government will be upon His shoulder” (Is. 9:6). The
government of Christ was upon His shoulder, carrying the cross in an amazing humility. It is not
unfitting to refer to the cross as Christ’s government, as by it He had overcome the devil, and
called the whole world to know Christ and to enjoy His grace.
Fr. Caesarius
When blessed Abraham went up the mountain that God showed him so that he might
sacrifice Isaac according to God’s command, he laid the wood on the boy. Isaac was a type of
Christ carrying his own cross on his shoulders and going up to the glory of his passion. Christ
taught us that His Passion was His glory. He said, “Now the Son o f Man is glorified, and God
is glorified in Him. I f God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify
Him immediately. ” [John 13:31-32]
The Servants and the Donkey
The two young men saw Isaac, and the wood being split by Abraham, yet they could not
set forth to where Isaac was to be offered as a sacrifice, as though they are the Jewish people,
who saw the Lord according to the flesh, and saw the cross, yet were not able to realize its
power. And as the apostle said: “We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and
to the Greeks foolishness, because the foolishness o f God is wiser than men, and the weakness of
God is stronger than men ” (1 Cor. 1: 23, 25).
The two young men stayed with the donkey, and did not set forth with Abraham and
Isaac to behold the secret of God; that is how every one who is bound to the earthly thought, and
live on account of his belly and lusts of his body, would be as though staying with the donkey,
unable to set forth to know the spiritual secrets of God, that raises him to the heavenly.
Fr. Tadros Malaty
The two young men whom Abraham ordered to stay with the donkey, refer to the Jewish
people, who could not go up to the place of the sacrifice, having rejected faith in Christ. The
donkey refers to the Jewish Synagogue, and the ram, caught in a thicket by its horns, probably
refers to the Lord; as Christ was caught in the thicket by horns, as He was raised and nailed on
the Cross
Fr. Caesarius
580 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 152, CLC p. 606, AACS, v. 3, p. 358.
I s a i a h 6 1:1-6
“The Spirit of the Lord Go d is upon Me, because the L o rd has anointed Me to preach good tidings
to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening
of the prison to those who are bound; ^To proclaim the acceptable year of the L o r d , And the day of vengeance of
our God; To comfort all who moum, ^To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil
of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of
righteousness, The planting of the L o r d , that He may be glorified.” Ând they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall
raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.
^ Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, And the sons of the foreigner Shall be your plowmen and your
vinedressers. ^But you shall be named the priests of the L o r d , They shall call you the servants of our God. You
shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, And in their glory you shall boast.
The return of the Holy Spirit to man in Christ, the incarnate God, the second Adam, is an
everlasting return. The Holy Spirit descended on the second Adam for His righteousness; and
righteousness in Christ is steadfast one, because the union of divinity with manhood in the
Person of Christ is steadfast... And this is a steadfast guarantee for humanity and its stability in
the new life.
The name “Christ” implies the Anointer, the Anointed, and the Anointment itself. The
Father is the One who anoints, the Son is One anointed, and the Spirit is the Anointment.
St. Irenaeus582
The Holy Spirit shined in its fullness on Him since those who are similar dwell in one
another. But as far as you are concerned, after you came up out of the baptismal font, you were
granted the anointment, symbolizing Christ was anointed with, that is the Holy Spirit
G enesis 14:17-2$
And the king-of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his
return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. ^T hen Melchizedek king of Salem
brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. ^ A n d he blessed him and said: “Blessed be
Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; Ô^nd blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered
your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.
The following questions and answers are offered in Fr. Tadros Malaty s Patristic Commentary
o f Chapter Seven o f the Epistle to the Hebrews.
How can Abraham the Patriarch who had the Levitical priesthood in his seed, offer the tithes
to a strange man? And why did this king and priest appear in the Holy Bible and suddenly
disappear\ and nobody knows anything about his father or mother or his genealogy? Why did
he not offer a bloody sacrifice as it was the custom at that time?
The Jews cannot find an answer to all these questions. However, the apostle Paul reveals
its mystery by declaring that Melchizedek being the symbol of the Lord Christ, has surpassed
even Abraham who is carrying the priesthood in himself. He was the symbol of the Lord Christ,
thus considered far better than the one who obtained the promises.
581 Fr. Mathias Farid, Nativity and the Holy Spirit (Arabic), 1981, p. 10.
582 St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, Book 3, Ch. 18, § 3, ANF, v. 1.
583 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, On the Divine Mysteries, 3:1. NPNF, S. 2, v. 7.
Page 291
w
♦ The Holy Pascha
St. John Chrysostom says, “He could not offer the tithes to a stranger unless that stranger
is greater than him.”584 Abraham, offering the tithes to Melchizedek, means that he wants his
blessing, or in other words Melchizedek is blessing the one who has the promises. As the Apostle
says, “Now beyond all contradictions the lesser is blessed by the better”
Truly it is surprising that Abraham who accepts the tithes, in the person of Levi who
came out of his loins, pays tithes to a stranger who is Melchizedek, as if the Levitical priesthood
itself, who is supposed to accept tithes and offerings, in the person of Abraham, has bent down in
the person of Abraham to pay tithes to the one who is the symbol of the Lord Jesus, the great
heavenly High Priest.
Whmt does Melchizedek symholim?
First: His name “Melchizedek” linguistically means “the king of righteousness,” who is
a symbol of the Lord Christ who reigns over the hearts by His righteousness. He rules the soul,
so that she may hide in Him to appear in the eyes of the Father bearing His righteousness. In
other words, when the Lord Jesus reigns spiritually over the person, all his weakness will
disappear, and the Lord Jesus will appear with His righteousness and glory! As the Apostle says,
“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. ” (Rom. 3:24)
Second: His work is “King of Salem,” that is king of peace. The Lord Jesus reigned over
His Church granting His believers peace with the Father, with their brothers, and with
themselves. Humanity has reconciled with the heavens, humans with one another, and also the
person with himself: between the soul and the body where everything in the person became
spiritual abiding by the one spirit. Truly the Lord Christ is the true king of Salem spreading his
peace over each soul that seeks Him.
The Lord Christ has concluded his farewell speech with His disciples before His arrest,
by proclaiming that the purpose of His talk with them was that they enjoy peace in Him. “These
things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have
tribulations; but be o f good cheer, I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33).
The purpose of His speech was that the disciples may find peace in Him. This peace is
the purpose of every righteous deed we perform nowadays, for while we are full of His peace,
we are well prepared to enjoy His mysteries, His teachings, works, true faith and hope in Christ
Jesus. We are comforted in all our tribulations and are delivered from them by His peace. For His
sake, we endure afflictions happily till we conquer tribulations in Him and live joyfully beyond
pain.
St. Augustine585
“My peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you” (John 14:27)... He left us His
peace before departing to the heavens, and will give us His private peace when He comes at the
end. He leaves us His peace while we are in the world, and will grant us His private peace in the
world to come. He leaves us His peace so that we may conquer the devil and will grant us His
private peace when there is no more devil to fight us, so we may reign as kings... He leaves us
His peace so that we may love each other, and will grant us His peace when we are above all
divisions and quarrels. He leaves us His peace so no one may condemn the other; for while we
584 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 12 on Hebrew, §4, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14.

585 St. Augustine, Tractate 104 on John §1, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.
Page 292
are on earth, everything is vague. And He will grant us His peace when “He reveals the counsels
of the hearts and then each one’s praise will come from God” (1 Cor. 4:5). Yet in Him, and
through Him we may constantly receive peace, whether on our departure to the Father, or
whether when we lastly approach to be between the hands of the Father (in those fearful
moments, His peace never departs from us, as His believers).
St. Augustine 586
Third: We notice in the first chapter that a division took place in the Old Testament,
between the prophecy and the priesthood, or more precisely between the prophets and the priests.
The latter could not accept the word of truth, being satisfied with practicing the rituals of
worship outwardly without any spirit. Then the Lord of Truth Himself, and the High Priest came
carrying the prophecy with the eternal, heavenly priesthood, reconciling the knowledge with the
worship, and the truth with the ritual! Here the Lord combined the kingdom with the priesthood,
for He is the King of righteousness and peace and in the same time the Priest according to the
order of Melchizedek forever. In the mean time He is the King and Priest; whereas His royal
work cannot be separated from His priesthood service. While He reigns over the heart through
His unique Sacrifice, He offers this sacrifice as the heavenly High Priest, for He is the King of
authority, who through His sacrificing practical love, declares His intercession in propitiation of
our sins to raise all the believers with Him and in Him as spiritual kings and priests.
Fourth: The Bible did not mention anything about the parents nor the genealogy of
Melchizedek who is a symbol of the Lord Christ who has no beginning nor end. The Lord Christ
has no father according to the flesh, nor mother according to the divinity; He is the eternal Priest,
immaculate and omnipotent.
Fifth: The sacrifice of Melchizedek of bread and wine has no meaning except that it is a
symbol of the Eucharist sacrifice, which is the Body and Blood of the Lord Christ. The Lord
Himself transformed the bread and wine to establish the sacrament.
You are a Priest forever, not through offering Jewish sacrifices, but rather on the order of
Melchizedek. As Melchizedek, King of Salem, offered bread and wine (Gen. 14: 18), You also
offer Your Body and Blood as the true Body and the True Blood. This is our Melchizedek who
granted us the divine Sacrifice, for He said, “He who eats my Body and drinks my Blood...”
(John 6:55), according to the order of Melchizedek, granting us His mysteries.
St. Jerome587
J OB 2 7 : 1 . 2 8 : 1 3
Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said: ^”As God lives, who has taken away my justice, And the
Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, Âs long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils,
^My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit. % ar be it from me That I should say you are right;
Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. ^My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart
shall not reproach me as long as I live.
7”May my enemy be like the wicked, And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous. ^For what is
the hope of the hypocrite, Though he may gain much, If God takes away his life? ^Will God hear his cry When
trouble comes upon him? ^W ill he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call on God?
586 Ibid., Tractate 78:3.

587 St. Augustine, Homily 36 on Psalms, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8.
Page 293
' A ''
*1”I will teach you about the hand of God; What is with the Almighty I will not conceal. ^Surely all of
you have seen it; Why then do you behave with complete nonsense?
’’This is the portion of a wicked man with God, And the heritage of oppressors, received from the
Almighty: ^ I f his children are multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
l^Those who survive him shall be buried in death, And their widows shall not weep, ^Though he heaps up silver
like dust, And piles up clothing like clay- ^ H e may pile it up, but the just will wear it, And the innocent will
divide the silver. ^ H e builds his house like a moth, Like a booth which a watchman makes. ^ T h e rich man will
lie down, But not be gathered up; He opens his eyes, And he is no more. ^ T e r r o r s overtake him like a flood; A
tempest steals him away in the night. ^ T h e east wind carries him away, and he is gone; It sweeps him out of his
place. 22ft hurls against him and does not spare; He flees desperately from its power. ^3Men shall clap their hands
at him, And shall hiss him out of his place.
28:1 ”Surely there is a mine for silver, And a place where gold is refined. Îro n is taken from the earth,
And copper is smelted from ore. ^Man puts an end to darkness, And searches every recess For ore in the darkness
and the shadow of death. ^He breaks open a shaft away from people; In places forgotten by feet They hang far
away from men; They swing to and fro. $As for the earth, from it comes bread, But underneath it is turned up as by
fire; % s stones are the source of sapphires, And it contains gold dust. ^ That path no bird knows, Nor has the
falcon’s eye seen it. ^The proud lions have not trodden it, Nor has the fierce lion passed over it. ^He puts his hand
on the flint; He overturns the mountains at the roots. ^ H e cuts out channels in the rocks, And his eye sees every
precious thing. ^ H e dams up the streams from trickling; What is hidden he brings forth to light.
12”But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? *^Man does not
know its value, Nor is it found in the land of the living.
P salm 2 2:1-2
The L o r d is m y shepherd; I shall not w ant. ^H e m akes m e to lie dow n in green pastures; H e leads m e
beside the still w aters.
This, the most beloved psalm in the Psalter as a hymn of trust. Childlike confidence in
God, in peace and serenity, is the predominant note of this psalm.588 The Orthodox Jews love this
psalm and the reformed Jews also make use of it in their synagogue services. The Early Fathers
of the Church, had delighted in it for they were pleased to find the providence of the Good
Shepherd towards His sheep in this psalm. It was fitly chosen by St. Augustine as the hymn of
martyrs.589 Many think this was one David’s earliest compositions because the habits of his
early life as a shepherd would furnish all the imagery of the first part of the psalm. Thus David
was eminently fitted to write a devout pastoral.590...
Here, David represents our Lord as the Messiah-Shepherd, or the Jehovah-Shepherd. The
opening lines draw upon the most popular image in the Bible, that of shepherd (Gen.49:24; Ezek.
34:11-16). In the word “shepherd,” David uses the most comprehensive and intimate metaphor;
the shepherd lives with his flock and is everything to it: feeder, guide, governor, physician and
protector. There is a sweet tenderness in all the allusions of the psalm, which will ever endear it
to the hearts that have felt the softening touch of divine grace. What can be conceived sweeter or
finer than this representation of God as a Shepherd?
588 Sabourin, The Psalms, vol. 2, p. 99-100; The Collegeville Bible Comm., p. 759.
589 R. E. Prothero: The Psalms in Human Life, 1904, p. 12.
590 Plumer, p. 308.
591 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Psalm 23.
Page 294
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want ”
Oriental nations commonly called their good rulers and kings “shepherds.” When the
Scriptures call God our Lord, King Creator etc... we usually fell His might, power and glory in
awe and fear, but in calling Him the Shepherd we rather taste His sweetness, tenderness,
consolation and providence, almost the same when we call Him our Father. I shall assuredly
want nothing, for He Himself becomes my food, drink, clothes, protection, peace, and all support
of a joyful life. His gracious presence in my heart is sufficient for me.
As the catechumen accepts the Lord as His Shepherd, becomes one of His sheep, and he
participates in His Immolated Body and Blood; what would he need more?! In Jesus Christ the
believer needs nothing but what he finds in Him, or in more accurate, he needs Christ Himself.
This is the feeling of St. Ambrose, on seeing the church on Easter night as a heaven. The
multitude of the newly- baptized received the spirit of adoption, hasten together with the chorus
of the faithful towards their divine alter, singing and glorifying God... receiving what the angels
are eager to see.
There is one load which You have taken upon Your shoulders, our human nature.
What does the Shepherd offer t& us?
He settles me in green pasture. He leads the catechumens to the pastures where they are
bred as a preparation to Baptism. As they receive the spirit of adoption they remain in need to be
nourished daily with the permanently fresh and green pastures of the Word of God. A sheep is
an animal that chews the cud (eats so much, regurgitates, then chews it again).
St. Cyril of Alexandria says, “The place of pasture is the Paradise from which we fell,
and to which Christ leads us by the water of the rest, that is to say by Baptism.”
Our Shepherd grants us the nature of sufficiency, so that we may not lack anything.
Sometimes the richest man in a city may be the poorest, for he lacks his Shepherd’s dwelling
within him. The poorest believer may often be the richest, for be his Christ Himself as his own,
and he accepts from His hands the feeling of sufficiency and satiety, beside his delight because
of his participation in Christ’s poverty, and his hope in participating of His glory. He never
wanted. He performed miracles for the relief of His beloved and not for His own relief or glory.
Earthly parents may die at anytime but our Good Shepherd never dies.
Fr. Tadros Malaty
“He raises me beside the still (restful waters). **
After a good meal, the sheep are led to a stream or overflowing spring and drink from
sweet water. Now that their appetites have been satisfied and their thirst quenched, their whole
being has been strengthened and refreshed - “He restores my soul”. Since the temple was called
“the house of rest” (1 Chron. 28:2), and “the place of rest” of the Lord’s ark (Ps. 132:8,14),
then the waters of rest here suggests that God the Shepherd is host to the psalmist in His
593 St. Gregory of Nyssa, Commentary on Canticle, Sermon 2.
Page 295
own House. The holy Baptism, definitely, is the water of rest, by which the weight of sin is
The Holy Pascha
removed.
Fr. Tadros Malaty
He raises, rears and feeds me on the water of baptism, which restores health and strength
to those who have lost them.
St. Augustine594
There is also a certain water which we put into the basin of our soul, water from the
fleece and from the Book of Judges; water, too, from the Book of Psalms. It is the water of the
massage from heaven. Let, then, this water, O Lord Jesus, come into my soul, into my flesh, that
through the moisture of this rain (PS. 75:11) the valleys of our minds and the fields of our hearts
may grow green. May the drops from you come upon me, shedding forth grace and immortality.
Wash the steps of my mind that I may not sin again. Wash the heel of my soul, that I may by able
to efface the curse, that I feel not the serpent’s bite (Gen 3:15) on the foot of my soul. But as
You, Yourself have declared to those who follow You, that they may tread on serpents and
scorpions (Luke 10:19) with uninjured foot. You have redeemed the world, redeem the soul of a
single sinner.
St. Ambrose
M a t t h e w 2 6 ; 1 7 - 1 9
Now on the first day of the Feast o f the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him,
“Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” Ând He said, “Go into the city to a certain man,
and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ‘
“ l^So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
For commentary on this gospel, please see the third hour, above.
Prayer
The Lord is My shepherd; guide me to the Cross; I want nothing else, but You, for all is
in the way of the Cross. He guides me through the suffering in this world, and allows me to
enter into Paradise, the green pastures prepared for me. Here, is the fulfillment of my greatest
desire—for this is the only need and desire of the sheep. It is His comfort, His rest, His food.
Here, is my new dwelling place, in the Cross which leads me to heaven. You hold in Your hand
the staff, which is the sign of the cross which will lead me to the green pastures of eternal rest.
594 Saint Augustine, Comm, on Canticle, Sermon 2.
Page 296
L1TI/RGY OF THE BLESSING OF THE WATER
The prayers of the Liturgy of the Blessing of the Water is very similar to the funeral
service that is prayed after the Liturgy of the Eucharist on Palm Sunday—although the meaning
and purpose differs. On Palm Sunday, the main purpose of the water is a precautionary measure
of the Church just in case one member of the Church departs during Holy Week. This Blessing
of the Water is an act of djscipleship, repentance, and humility.
Historically, the practice of blessing water on certain feast days (i.e. Theophany, Cana of
Galilee, etc.) is an ancient Egyptian practice. Since the early Egyptians perceived the Nile River
as being as source of life, they viewed the feasts of Epiphany and Cana of Galilee as times where
water from the Nile could be blessed so that life in the towns may prosper.
This practice of blessing water gradually spread from Egypt to all Christian countries
which bless water on special feast days such as the Holy Epiphany.
The Coptic Church sees the washing of the apostles feet as a great lesson of humility.
discipleship. lovejtnd service. The Church included it as part of the preparation of Holy Week.
These prayers andreadingsof this liturgy are also very similar to those of Baptism.
The blessings obtained from the water of Great Thursday can be used as a spiritual
cleansing enabling us to better participate in the Liturgy, His death and Resurrection. When our
Lord washed the feet of the disciples, He demonstrated His loving service and care for all
mankind; when He was crucified He demonstrated His obedience to the will of the Father and
His ultimate sacrifice to man. This prayer is so rich that almost every blessing of the water found
in the Old and New Testaments are included in it.
Page 297
Sequence ofPrayers for the Liturgy of the Water (Lakkan)
The basic sequence of prayers for this service roughly follows that of the Liturgy of the
Eucharist, while adding the readings and prayers customary for this holy week.
(1) Thanksgiving Prayer

(2) Verses of the Cymbals—Special verses for “O King of Peace” are added, in remembrance of
our Lord who repeatedly declared on this day, “Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give to you. ”
The subject of peace was one of the main themes of His final lesson to and prayer for the
disciples (John 14-17).
(3) Psalm 50
(4) 8 Old Testament Readings
(5) Homily of St. Shenouda
(6). Pauline Epistle
(7) Trisagion
(8) Psalm 50
(9) Gospel
(10) Litanies and Prayers
• 7 Litanies for the sick, travelers, winds, rulers, departed, oblations, Catechumens.
• 16 short litanies
• 100 Lord Have Mercy’s
• 3 long prayers: Litany of the Peace, of the fathers, of the assemblies,
(11) Creed
(12) Main liturgy: Meet and Right, Cherubim,
(13) Special Prayers over the water
(14) Psalm 150 is chanted by the congregation as the highest ranking priest washes the feet of
the other clergy. Then the clergy wash the feet of the congregation.
(15) Final Prayer and Thanksgiving Prayer
(16) Homily of St. John Chrysostom
Why do we pray the Washing of the Feet in the Back of the Church?
From the fourth century the penitents of the Church were divided into four classes. Three
of these are mentioned in the eleventh canon of the Council of Nicea. Inside the church, there
were three main divisions:
1) The first division was the Narthex in Greek (Faerula in Latin), a narrow vestibule
extending the whole width of the church. Jews and Gentiles were allowed here and included
heretics, schismatics, Catechumens595, Energumens,596 and hearers.597
2) The second division, or main body of the church, was called the Naos or Nave. This
was separated from the Narthex by rails of wood, with gates in the center, which were called “the
beautiful or royal gates.” In the middle of the Nave, but rather toward the lower or entrance part
595 Catechumens were those preparing for baptism. This usually had a long period of preparation and most early
churches only baptized once per year.
596 Those afflicted with evil spirits.
597 Hearers (aKocofievoi in Greek; audientes in Latin) were those who were in a period of repentance that could only
hear the Scriptures read, and the Sermon preached. They were obliged to depart before the celebration of the Divine
Mysteries, with the Catechumens, and the others who went by the general name of hearers only.
Page 298
of it, stood the Ambo, or reading-desk, the place for the readers and singers, to which they went
up by steps, whence the name, Ambo. In the rear of the nave after the royal gates and before the
Ambo were the kneelers or prostrators.598
3) In the other parts of the Nave stood the believers or faithful, i.e., those persons wire were
in full communion with the Church. The men and women generally sat on opposite sides of the
church, though in some places the men were below, and the women in galleries above. Amongst
these were the fourth class o f penitents, who were called the co-standers.599
At the upper end of the body of the church, and divided from it by rails is the Chancel.600
It was raised above the body of the Church. It was also called, from its semicircular end. In this
part stood the Altar. Against the wall of the chancel and behind the Altar stood the Bishop’s
throne, with the seats of the Presbyters on each side of it, called synthronus. On one side of the
chancel was the repository for the sacred utensils and vestments, called the Diaconicum; and on
the other the Prothesis, a side-table, or place, where the bread and wine were deposited before
they were offered on the Altar. The holy gates stood in the chancel rail—which only the bishops,
priests, and deacons were allowed to enter.
The fourth and final division was called the weepers601. These were not allowed to enter
into the body of the church at all, but stood or lay outside the gates, sometimes covered with
sackcloth and ashes—even in bad weather602 Outside the church, there was commonly an open
area surrounded with porticoes or atrium with a font of water in the center. In other occasions,
there would only be an open portico. Here, the weepers stood exposed to the weather. St.
Gregory the Wonder Worker says to these weepers: “Weeping takes place outside the door o f the
church, where the sinner must stand and beg the prayers o f the faithful as they go in. ”603
In the ancient Coptic churches, one can find a small laver in the last division within the
church. The Lakkan service was conducted in this rear of the church for several reasons. First,
it was customary even for each person to cleanse themselves outside before entering the temple.
For the believers, this bowl reminded them of their baptism, which allowed them to pass to
partake of the Holy Mysteries. For the penitents, it reminded them of their repentance. To
partake of the mysteries they must be washed with the tears of repentance, they must humble
themselves as Christ did to wash the feet, they must return to the well as the Samaritan Woman
and present Christ with the repentance He is thirsting for.
598 The kneelers (yov'DKAivovxe' or amomTruovTe' in Greek; Genuflectentes or Prostrati in Latin) were the third
class of those in repentance. They were able to join in certain prayers specially made for them, but could not partake
of the holy mysteries. Before leaving, they prostrated themselves to receive the imposition of the bishop’s hands
with prayer. This class of penitents also left the church with the Catechumens.
599 The Co-standers (a'uvecxtoxe^ in Greek; Consistentes, in Latin) were the forth class of penitents. They were
allowed to stand with the faithful and hear prayers even after the Catechumens and the other penitents were
dismissed even up to the time of the Holy Communion, even though they might not be able to partake of the holy
mysteries themselves. This class of penitents is frequently mentioned in the canons, as “communicating in prayers,”
or “without the oblation;” and it was the last grade to be passed through previous to the being admitted again to full
communion. The practice of “hearing mass” or “non-communicating attendance” clearly had its origin in this stage
of discipline.
600 Also called Cancelli, Bema or tribunal, Apsis and Concha Bematis
601 croyKâiovTe' in Greek; flentes in Latin.
602 Which is also why they were also called hybernantes in Latin or 'âijiioôjLievoi in Greek.
603 St. Gregory the Wonderworker, NPNF, s. 2, v. 14, p. 107.
Page 299
The Readings o f the Liturgy o f the Blessing of the Water
As explained above, there are eight prophesies that are read. Eight was traditionally the
Jewish symbolic number of rebirth and new life—since eight people saved in the Ark. So, on the
eighth day after birth, infant boys were brought to the temple to be circumcised. Also, this
became a symbol of baptism. For this reason, Coptic baptismal fonts may have eight sides.
Also, the tradition of cleansing on the eighth day still occurs in the Church as the “First Washing
Prayer” of any child (Salaat il Tisht).
The first two are more in depth; the latter are brief references to the waters of renewal.
These eight prophesies are:
(1) In Genesis, we find Abraham serving the angels of the Lord at Mambre. He washed
their feet, and then served them with bread, a calf, butter and milk. This is again a symbol of the
coming of Christ, who shall wash the feet of His disciples in humility and servitude before
partaking of this great meal. Here the father of men washed the feet of Christ before His
Incarnation, along with His angels. But in the New Testament, our Lord washes the feet of His
servants, the apostles.
(2) The Proverbs of Solomon point out the seven pillars of wisdom These denote the 7
sacraments of the church, as the official declaration that the first sacrament of Holy Week shall
begin with the upcoming Divine Liturgy. For this we must have “sound mind. ”
(3) In Exodus, we hear how the Israelites crossed the Red Sea as a symbol of washing their
feet and entering into new land.
(4) In the reading of Joshua we see how the Israelites crossed the Jordan river, immersed
in water.
(5) Isaiah explains how this water washes away the filth of our sins.
(6) Another passage from Isaiah explains God’s ever-lasting covenant with His people
that He will provide for those who follow His ways.
(7) Ezekiel’s mentioning that the Lord will “sprinkle ” clean water to purge us from all of
our dirt and filth caused from our sins.
(8) Finally, we read of the vision of Ezekiel with a fountain of water flowing as a river
from the altar of God into Galilee. This river contained the water of healing that would bring life
and salvation to man.
The Homily of St. Shenouda the Archimanidrite is then read, which explains the
importance of the water of repentance.
In the Pauline Epistle, we read of the virtues of elders, mothers, and widows. If a good
widow is one who has took in strangers, tended to the poor, and washed the feet o f the saints.
We then read Psalm 50, in remembrance so we can be sprinkled with hyssop. It was with
this hyssop that the blood of Passover lamb was used to sprinkle the doorposts to gain salvation.
Finally we read of the betrayal and the washing of the feet in the gospel.
Brief commentaries have been inserted in between these readings, as it is usually clear
how these passages relate to the blessing of the water, baptism and repentance.
G enesis 18:1~23
Then the L o r d appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the
heat of the day. ^So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw
them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, ând said, “My Lord, if I have now
found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. ^Please let a little water be brought, and wash your
feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Ând I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts.
Page 300
--
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church ■* The Holy Pascha
After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” They said, “Do as you have said.” ^So
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and
make cakes.” Ând Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to
prepare it. ^So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by
them under the tree as they ate.
^Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.” 10And He said, “I will
certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was
listening in the tent door which was behind him.) ^^Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and
Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. ^Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown
old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord
being old also?” Ând the L o r d said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since
I am old?’ lÎs anything too hard for the L o rd ? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of
life, and Sarah shall have a son.” ^But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said,
“No, but you did laugh!”
l^Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on
the way. Â nd the L o r d said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, ^since Abraham shall surely become
a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? ^For I have known him, in order
that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the L o r d , to do
righteousness and justice, that the L o r d may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” ^ A n d the L o r d said,
“Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, will go down
now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I
will know.” ^Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the
L o r d . ^ A n d Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
He knew that it is impossible for the secrets of the Lord to be fulfilled unless we, at least,
wash the feet.
The Scholar Origen
P r ov e rb s 9 : u
Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; ^She has slaughtered her meat, She has
mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table, ^she has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest
places of the city, Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As fo r him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
^’’Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed. ^Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way
of understanding. ^”He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only
harms himself. ^Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. ^Give
instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10”The fear
of the L o r d is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For by me your
days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.
Moreover the Holy Spirit by Solomon shows before the type of the Lord’s sacrifice,
making mention of the immolated victim, and of the bread and wine, and, moreover, of the altar
and of the apostles, and says, “Wisdom has built her house... Come, eat o f my bread, and drink of
the wine which I have mingled for you. ” He declares the wine mingled, that is, he foretells with
prophetic voice the cup of the Lord mingled with water and wine, that it may appear that was
done in our Lord’s passion which had been before predicted.
St. Cyprian604
604 St. Cyprian, Epistle 62, ANF, v. 5.
Page 301
Here certainly we perceive that the Wisdom of God, that is, the Word co-eternal with the
Father, has built Him an house, even a human body in the virgin womb, and has subjoined the
Church to it as members to a head, has slain the martyrs as victims, has furnished a table with
wine and bread, where appears also the priesthood after the order of Melchizedek...
Yet to these weak ones she says, “Forsake simplicity, that you may live; and seek
prudence, that you may have life. ” [Prov. 9:6] But to be made partakers of this table is itself to
begin to have life. For when he says in another book, which is called Ecclesiastes, “There is no
good for a man, except that he should eat and drink, ” [Eccles. 2:24; 3:13; 5:18; 7:15] what can
he be more credibly understood to say, than what belongs to the participation of this table which
the Mediator of the New Testament Himself, the Priest after the order of Melchizedek, furnishes
with His own body and blood?
For that sacrifice has succeeded all the sacrifices of the Old Testament, which were slain
as a shadow of that which was to come; wherefore also we recognize the voice in the 40th Psalm
as that of the same Mediator speaking through prophesy, “Sacrifice and offering You did not
desire; but a body You have perfected for Me. ” [Ps. 40:6]
Because, instead of all these sacrifices and oblations, His body is offered, and is served
up to the partakers of it. For that this Ecclesiastes, in this sentence about eating and drinking,
which he often repeats, and very much commends, does not savor the dainties of carnal
pleasures, is made plain enough when he says, “It is better to go into the house o f mourning than
to go into the house o f feasting. ” [Eccl. 7:2] And a little after He says, “The heart o f the wise is
in the house o f mourning, and the heart o f the simple in the house offeasting. ” [Eccl. 7:4]...
St. Augustine605
I x o DUS 1 4 : I S 606
When Israel crossed the Red Sea, they walked through dry land in the midst of the sea, and their enemies
went into the sea and the Lord brought upon them the water of the sea. Israel and all the house of Jacob were saved.
They danced and sang this song: Let us sing to the Lord for He is greatly glorified.
Although the crossing of the Jordan River under Joshua’s leadership is similar in story to
the crossing of the Red Sea with Moses, there are significant differences between the two. The
two symbolize the mystery of baptism, but are two sides of the same coin. The First, points to
the uprooting of the old man; the second, to obtaining the gift of the new man. The first, to
taking off the old man; the second to putting on the new. The first represents our crucifixion
with Christ; the second, our resurrection with Him. The first was in silence; the second with
trumpets of triumph and victory .
Jo shua 1,3
Joshua and all the people crossed over the Jordan, they treaded On stones that were immersed in the water.
Their feet strengthened and they defeated their enemies.”
“I f all those baptized keep the sweetness o f God’s Spirit that they obtained, and no one
would go back to bitter sin, it would not have been mentioned that part o f the river is thrown in
the salty s e a These words seem to me like pointing a difference among those baptized. Some
obtain the holy baptism, yet return to the worldly pleasures and passion tendencies, and so drink
of the salty cup of lust once more. These were given the symbol of part of the water that flows to
the sea and are destroyed by the salty water.
605 St. Augustine, City of Good, Book 17, Ch. 20, NPNF, s. 1, v. 2.
606 This seems to be a paraphrase of the events that took place in Exodus 14 and 15.
Page 302
But as for the part that remains standing, keeping its sweetness, this points to those who
do not regress, and retain the gift given to them by God.. .When Moses led the people from the
land of Egypt, there was no discipline among the people and no ritual for the priest to follow.
This was how they crossed the seawater.. .But when my Lord Joshua leads the army, we look,
because the priests walk ahead of the people carrying the ark of the covenant on their
shoulders this is where the law is kept and the holy table, the manna, as well.
The Scholar Origen
But this escape required them to stay with Joshua for three days before crossing the
Jordan...[which] is the mystery of the resurrection with Christ on the third day. There is no
crossing of Jordan and obtaining the possibilities of the baptism unless through the burial with
the Lord for three days, and the resurrection with Him and in Him! The apostle Paul says in
Romans 6:3-4 “Do you not know that all o f us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that
just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory o f the Father, so we too might walk in
newness o f life.”
He also said that baptism was the Cross; what happened the Christ in the crucifixion and
burial is what the baptism makes to us, even if it’s in a different way. Christ has died physically
and was buried. But as for us; we die from sin and get buried... if you share Him the death and
the burial; then it will be all the more to share Him the resurrection and the life...
The three days [also] indicate the Holy Trinity. There is no crossing the water of baptism
unless it is after our declaring our faith in the Holy Trinity. Where we accept being the Father’s
children, and having the membership in the Only begotten Son’s body. Then the Holy Spirit
makes us firm in the Son. In other words, the baptism is enjoying the work of the Holy Spirit in
our life. Without our faith in Him, baptism is of no use!
Passing through those three days means to accept the power of Christ’s resurrection
and to declare the faith in the Holy Trinity. The learned ones, i.e. the officers of thousands,
hundreds and tens and they ordered the people.
Those coming to be baptized have to be preoccupied in prayers, fasting, kneeling down

and be watchful, as well as confessing their previous sins.
Tertullian
When your wedding day draws near, don’t you leave everything behind, and you’re only
occupied in preparation for the wedding party? The day for consecrating your souls for the
heavenly groom has drawn near. Aren’t you going to stop being occupied with earthly matters so
as to gain spiritual ones? Let your mind be purified like with fire, in decency! Let your souls be
aflame in fire like metal, where all dregs are wiped, and the genuine metal stays. Pray more
persistently so God makes you worthy of the divine everlasting mysteries.
St. Cyril the Great
607 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Joshua.

Isaiah 4:1-4
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, “We will eat our own food and wear our
own apparel; Only let us be called by your name, To take away our reproach.” În that day the Branch of the L o r d
shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing For those of Israel who
have escaped. Ând it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—
everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. ^When the Lord has washed away the filth of the
daughters of Zion, and purged the blood pf Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the
spirit of burning,
This prophesy again speaks of the baptism as cleansing of our sins, washing away all of
our filth through the worthiness of His blood. The spirit of “judgment” mentioned here is the
crucifixion, which paid the price of our sins. The spirit of “burning” is the whole burnt offering
of the Lord on the Cross, which refers to His complete love towards the Father. Also, this is the
fiery Holy Spirit which descended over the Church, to sanctify and wash every member of it.
In the fulfillment of time, as the time for freedom came, the Logos Himself washed the
filth of the daughter of Zion, as He washed, by His hands, His disciples’ feet (John 13:5).
St. Irenaeus608
The excellent spiritual washing through Baptism takes away the corruption of the soul.
I s a i a h 5 5 : u 56:1
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes,
come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. ^Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And
your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in
abundance. Încline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting
covenant with y o u - The sure mercies of David. Îndeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A leader and
commander for the people. ^ Surely y0u shall call a nation you do not know, And nations who do not know you
shall run to you, Because of the L o r d your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.”
^Seek the L o r d while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. ^Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the L o r d , And He will have mercy on him; And to our
God, For He will abundantly pardon.
**”For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the L o rd . 9”For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
1 0 ” F o r as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And
make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, ^ S o shall My word be that
goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper
in the thing for which I sent it.
12”For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth
into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Înstead of the thorn shall come up the
cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the L o r d for a name, For an
everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
Thus says the L o r d : “Keep justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My
righteousness to be revealed.
St. Irenaeus, Against the Heresies, Book 4, Ch. 22, §1, ANF, v. 1.
609 St. Clement of Alexandria, Christ the Educator 3.9, FC, v. 23.
This passage begins with the divine invitation to enjoy God’s free salvation to those who
are thirsty. This is a general invitation to all; the gates of the Church are open before all; to
which, all who feel the need (the thirsty), will listen; as the Lord also said: “Blessed are those
who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. ” (Mt. 5: 6) As we often said
before, water in the Holy Scripture sometimes refers to the Holy Spirit that works in the water of
Baptism. It is as though, the invitation here is directed to all, to freely enjoy Baptism...
The Word of God was incarnated to quench the thirst of humanity with His blood, as a
unique rain capable of renewing its creation, of transforming it from being a desolate wilderness
inhabited by wild beasts into a fruitful paradise, dwelt by the Holy Trinity, and rejoiced by both
the heavenlies and the earthlies. So it is fitting for us to receive the written word of God, not for
the sake of a mere mental study, but as a life that gives divine fruits.
Do not hesitate, however long the trip is, either by land or by sea; or whatever few or
many the obstacles are; as long as the gift is offered to you. Isaiah is proclaiming: “Come,
everyone who thirst... ” How swift is God’s compassion! How easy is the covenant! You will be
granted this blessing, as soon as you want it. He is accepting your wish as a great price; He
thirsts for your thirst, and satisfies all who wish in mystery... He offers compassion to everyone
who asks for it... He is ready to give in abundance... He rejoices in giving more than those who
get
Do you want satisfaction? How can you have it? The body yearns to satisfaction, yet to
become hungry again after digestion, that is why the Lord Christ says, “Whoever drinks from this
water will thirst again.” (John 4: 13) I wish we hunger and thirst for righteousness, to get our
satisfaction. I wish our inner man hunger and thirst, to get the food and drink suitable for him.
The Lord says, “/ am the Bread which came down from h e a v e n (Jn. 6: 41) This is the Bread for
the hungry. I wish we thirst for the live water: “For with you is the fountain o f life” (Ps. 36: 9).
Saint Augustine612
I wish they feel their need to be worthy of satisfaction; as while displaying their
haughtiness, they deprive themselves of the bread that would grant them a healthy life! Seek the
Lord, you needy, hungry, and thirsty, uFor the bread o f God is He who comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world” (John 6: 33. 51). Seek the Lord to live. You seek the bread for your
flesh to live, while the Lord seeks you for your souls to live!
St. Augustine613
Ezekiel 3 6 : 2 5 - 2 8
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your
filthiness and from all your idols. will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the
heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to
walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. ^ T h e n you shall dwell in the land that I gave to
your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.
610 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Isaiah.

611 St. Gregory Nazianzen, On Holy Baptism, 28, NPNF, s. 2, v. 8.
612 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Divine Love, pp 45-46 (Arabic).
Page 305
This passage declares to us that the waters of baptism not only cleanses us from the
filthiness of sin, but it also gives us a “new heart” and a “new spirit” -His Holy Spirit—with
which we live by.
It is required, then, that the water should first be cleansed and sanctified by the priest, that
it may wash away by its baptism the sins of the man who is baptized; because the Lord says by
Ezekiel the prophet: “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be cleansedfrom
all your filthiness; and from all your idols will I cleanse you: a new heart also will I give you,
and a new spirit will I put within you. ” But how can he cleanse and sanctify the water who is
himself unclean, and in whom the Holy Spirit is not? since the Lord says in the book of
Numbers, “And whatsoever the unclean person touches shall be unclean. ” [Num. 19:2] Or how
can he who baptizes give to another remission of sins who himself, being outside the Church,
cannot put away his own sins?
St. Cyprian614
St. Cyprian when writing about baptism, says that in ordinary baptisms the person should
be fully immersed. They should not be mutilate or weaken the Sacrament. But if the person is
sick of any disease, he should not worry that he was only sprinkled, for this is still effective
baptism. This is only done, however, if in dire necessity. To demonstrate that this is valid
sacrament, St. Cyprian quotes this prophesy in Ezekiel as well as other passages:
The divine benefits can in no respect be mutilated and weakened; nor can anything
less occur in that case, where, with full and entire faith both of the giver and receiver, is accepted
what is drawn from the divine gifts... In the sacraments of salvation, when necessity compels,
and God bestows His mercy, the divine methods confer the whole benefit on believers; nor
should it to trouble any one that sick people seem to be sprinkled or affused, when they obtain
the Lord’s grace, when Holy Scripture speaks by the mouth of the prophet Ezekiel, and says,
“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness and
from all your idols will I cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit will I put
within you. ” Whence it appears that the sprinkling also of water prevails equally with the
washing of salvation; and that when this is done in the Church, where the faith both of
receiver and giver is sound, all things hold and may be consummated and perfected by the
majesty of the Lord and by the truth of faith.
St. Cyprian615
Ezekiel 4 h U 9
Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the
threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from
under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. ^He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me
around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.
3And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he
brought me through the waters; the water came up to mjy ankles. Âgain he measured one thousand and brought me
through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the
water came up to my waist. Âgain he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water
was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.
^He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this? ” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.
7When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. ^Then he said
614 St. Cyprian, Epistle 69, ANF, v. 5.

615 Ibid.
to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches
the sea, its waters are healed. Ând it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live.
There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything
will live wherever the river goes.
What is this temple facing east, but the Church of the New Testament, that faces toward
the Lord Christ — her East; and embraces the holy altar, on which the sacrifice of the New
Testament is offered. The holy water that flows from under its threshold, is the ‘Holy Baptism’,
without which no one can enter into fellowship in the Church of Christ. This water draws its
power through the sacrifice; according to the words of the apostle John: “There are three that
bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one” (1 John
5:8). This is the Christian Baptism, which is the action of the Holy Spirit that works in it through
the blood of the Lord Christ. This water purifies the world; and as St. Jerome says: “As the world
falls into sin, nothing can purify it once again, except that fountain of water”...
We know that the figure 1000 refers to the heavenly life; as one day for the Lord is like a
1000 years; It is as though the prophet Ezekiel has entered into the heavenly life through
Baptism. Repeating the 1000 four times, is because the work of Baptism embraces the
inhabitants of the world, peoples and nations, who come from everywhere (East, west, north, and
south); for the believers everywhere to get a heavenly Baptism. There the prophet Ezekiel
contemplated on the secret of Baptism, to find it surpassing any human consideration; He saw it
as a river that could not be crossed; and had to return to the bank, to contemplate on God’s work
with people, through the holy waters.
Why water9
But if any one wishes to know why the grace is given by water and not by a different
element, let him take up the Divine Scriptures and he shall learn. For water is a grand thing, and
the noblest of the four visible elements of the world. Heaven is the dwelling-place of Angels, but
the heavens are from the waters : the earth is the place of men, but the earth is from the waters:
and before the whole six days’ formation of the things that were made, the Spirit o f God moved
upon the face o f the water . The water was the beginning of the world, and Jordan the beginning
of the Gospel tidings: for Israel deliverance from Pharaoh was through the sea, and for the world
deliverance from sins by the washing o f water with the word of God. Where a covenant is made
with any, there is water also. After the flood, a covenant was made with Noah: a covenant for
Israel from Mount Sinai, but with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop . Elias is taken up, but not
apart from water: for first he crosses the Jordan, then in a chariot mounts the heaven. The high-
priest is first washed, then offers incense; for Aaron first washed, then was made high-priest: for
how could one who had not yet been purified by water pray for the rest? Also as a symbol of
Baptism there was a laver set apart within the Tabernacle.
H o m i l y of A b b a S h e n o u d a the A r c h i m a n d r i t e
Brethren, we should be humbled in front of Him who suffered on our behalf. We should fear Him who
poured the water in a bowl and washed the feet of His disciples with His impeccable hands. Let us present Him with
good deeds that deserve this great modesty that He demonstrated for our sake. Let us repent of our sins that we
616 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Ezekiel, pp. 266-267.

617 St. Cyril Catechetical Lecture 3, On Baptism, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.
Page 307
committed. Because if we do not repent, we will be condemned in hell as loving sin. What then can we hope for
often we have been cast out of heaven, face the judgment and being rejected for our sins. We will be judged twice:
not because we have sinned without knowledge, but because hat we consciously did was worse than what we did
without knowledge. Not only because we have sinned, but also because we did not repent.
Why can’t the sheep know the voice of the real Shepherd, the Giver of Life and resort to Him? He who
paid a dear price, His Blood, and surrendered Himself for our salvation. He who gave us His Body to eat and His
Blood to drink; Jesus Christ, our Savior, the God, Son of God, who dwells in the highest forever.
1 Timothy 10
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. ^ F o r to this end we both labor and suffer reproach,
because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. H These things
command and teach.
l^Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit,
in faith, in purity. ^ T ill I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. ^ D o not neglect the gift that
is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. ^M editate on these
things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. ^T ak e heed to yourself and to the
doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
^ D o not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, ôlder women as
mothers, younger as sisters, with all purity.
3H o n o r widows who are really widows. ^But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first
learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God. ^Now she who is
really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. ^But she who
lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. Ând these things command, that they may be blameless. % u t if anyone
does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an
unbeliever. ^Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife
of one man, 10well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has
washed the saints9feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.
The Bumble Pastor
When a person finds that he been cleaned of all evil, that is his sins and wickedness have
been forgiven, then he can produce good fruit and rejoice while he lives on earth too. As for the
wicked, he is punished both here and in the life to come. He will live in constant fear and cannot
face anyone with confidence. He would always look pale, tremble, and full of anxiety. Is not that
the case of deceivers, and thieves who are dissatisfied with what they have? Is not that the
miserable condition of murderers and adulterers who-even doubt the sun when they look at it?
Maybe that is a life? No, to the contrary, that is a horror
As long as you lead a serene life they cannot debase your youth. On the contrary, they
will admire you. That is why the apostle continues to say: “...be an example to the believers in
word' in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. ” You have to be an example of goodness in
every way, and a model of Christian living. This will be a living testimony, a basis, and a
yardstick for others seeking to lead a godly life. This is the appropriate role of a teacher and
pastor...
Rebuke is inherently wrong, especially if it is directed to an elder. This wrong is doubled
three times if the rebuke is directed from a young man to an elder
618 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies 12 & 13 On 1 Timothy, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14.
Page 308
The priest deals with married people who have children and servants, with the wealthy
and the officials who possess authority... that is why a pastor needs to be a many-sided man. I do
not say that he must be hypocritical, deceptive or flattering but that he needs to be extremely
flexible. He needs to go along with each one in order to make him feel comfortable in his
specific circumstances. He needs to be merciful and strict as it is impossible for a pastor to apply
the same treatment to all those under his care. He is like a physician who cannot use the same
medicine for all his patient; or like the ship captain who must know more than one way by which
to face the winds, for we are exposed to many winds
The Widow
Who are these saints? They are all those who are suffering and this does not include all
the saints. There are saints who have many who look after them; therefore they do not need to be
served since they are being provided for. Therefore, a widow should look after those who are in
need; those who are not known or who are known to very few. The Lord Jesus Christ says:
“inasmuch as you did it to one o f the least o f these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matt. 25:40).
These widows deserve to be honored by the Church for they wash the saint’s feet through
their spiritual teachings. By saints, I am not referring to men but to women, for I do not allow a
woman to teach or to have authority over a man (1 Tim. 2:12) The apostle wants women to teach
godliness in the sense that they teach the young girls - and not the young boys - chastity.
Therefore they have the task of training young adolescent girls to be chaste and loving to their
men and children.
Psalm 50:7~10
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. ^Make me
hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. ^Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out
all my iniquities. ^C reate in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Perhaps most famous for repentance, this psalm is also related to our cleansing and
washing with hyssop. Hyssop was a humble plant that strung out of the wall (1 Kings 4:33),
much unlike the cedar of Lebanon (Judg. 9:15) and had a special aroma,622 and a long stick or
stem (Jn. 19:29, Mt. 7:48) It is found in Egypt, the desert, and Palestine.623 It is mentioned
throughout the Bible (Ex 12:22; Lev 14:4,6,49 ff; Num 19:6,18; 1 Kings 4:33; Ps 51:7; John
19:29; Heb 9:19): It was also used medicinally for cleansing, as in ulcers, leprosy, and other
diseases.
Most importantly, hyssop was used in the Old Testament purification ceremonies. It
consisted of lustral water used for aspertions mixed with blood for the purification of lepers.
Hyssop branches were used to sprinkle the door-posts with the blood of the Passover Lamb.624
619 St. John Chrysostom, Pastoral Love, p. 736, 737.

620 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 13 On 1 Timothy, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14.
621 The Scholar Origen, Comm. On John 32: 12, ANF, v. 10.
622 Masterman, EWG, “Hyssop,” International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
623 Fausset’s Bible Dictionary, “Hyssop.”
624 Dictionary of Symbols, “Hyssop,” p. 536.
Page 309
Thus, as we commemorate the washing of the feet, we remember Christ as the Passover Lamb
deeply connected to the hyssop.
J ohn 17
Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from
this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. Ând supper being
ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing
that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, ^rose
from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. Âfter that, He poured water into a basin
and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. ^Then He came to
Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” ^Jesus answered and said to him, “What I
am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” ^Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my
feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” ^Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not
my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” 10jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet,
but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 1^For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He
said, “You are not all clean.”
So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you
know what I have done to you? l^You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. l^ if I then, your
Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should to wash one another’s feet. ^ F o r I have given you an
example, that you should do as I have done to you. l^Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his
master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. l^ If you know these things, blessed are you if you do
them.
What was put into Judas5heart? (vv. 1-5)
What was put into Judas’ heart? Without a doubt it was “to betray Him. ” This putting
[into the heart] is a spiritual suggestion: and does not enter not by the ear, but through the
thoughts... not in a physical way, but spiritual...The apostle knew of certain spiritual things
[powers], of wickedness in heavenly places, against which he testifies that we have to maintain a
struggle; and there would not be spiritual evils, were there not also wicked spirits.
Nor can we doubt that good suggestions are likewise made by a good spirit in the same
unobservable and spiritual way. But this works with those human minds that yield and
approve...
The determination, therefore, had now been come to in Judas’ heart by the instigation of
the devil, that the disciple should betray the Master, whom he had not learned to know as his
God.
In such a state had he now come to their social meal, a spy on the Shepherd, a plotter
against the Redeemer, a seller of the Savior. When he came, did he think that he was unseen or
undiscovered—for he was deceived about Him whom he wished to deceive. But He, who had
already scanned the inward state of that very heart, was knowingly making use of one who knew
it not.
St. Augustine625
625 St. Augustine, Tractate 55 on John 13:1-5, §4, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.
Page 310
Washing the Feet (vv. 6-10)
When our Lord began to tell the disciples He would wash their feet, Simon Peter’s
attitude clearly indicated the temptations that can assail a sincere disciple. The impulsive Peter
exaggerates in two opposite senses. First, he does not want Christ to wash him, then he wants
Jesus to was not only His feet but His head. We would often like to decide what the Master
should do and how. He should do it. What Jesus desires is that we let ourselves be directed.
This is loving submission to His initiatives even though we do not understand them. If in
imitating Jesus, you kneel to wash another’s feet, it is at this point that the towel with which you
wiped them will become for your Veronica’s town: on it the Savior’s face will be impressed.
Fr. Lev Gillet626
Let us come now to the Gospel of God. I find the Lord stripping Himself of His
garments, and girding Himself with a towel, pouring water into a basin, and washing the
disciples’ feet. [John 13:4] That heavenly dew was this water, this was foretold, namely, that the
Lord Jesus Christ would wash the feet of His disciples in that heavenly dew. And now let the feet
of our minds be stretched out. The Lord Jesus wills also to wash our feet, for He says, not to
Peter alone, but to each of the faithful: “I f I do not wash your feet you will have no part with
Me. ” [John 13:8]
Come, then, Lord Jesus, put off Your garments, which You put on for my sake; be
stripped that You may clothe us with Your mercy. Gird Yourself for our sakes with a
towel, that You may gird us with Your gift of immortality. Pour water into the basin, wash
not only our feet but also the head, and not only of the body, but also the footsteps of the
soul. I wish to put off all the filth of our frailty, so that I also may say: “By night I have put
off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?" [Song 5:3]
How great is that excellence! As a servant, You wash the feet of Your disciples; as
God, You send dew from heaven. Nor do You wash the feet only, but also invite us to sit down
with You, and by the example of Your dignity exhort us, saying: “You call me Teacher and
Lord' and you say well, for so I am. I f I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you
also should to wash one another’s feet. ” [John 13:13-14]
I, then, wish also myself to wash the feet of my brethren, I wish to fulfill the
commandment of my Lord, I will not be ashamed in myself, nor disdain what He Himself
did first. Good is the mystery of humility, because while washing the pollutions of others I
wash away my own. But all were not able to exhaust this mystery.
Abraham was, indeed, willing to wash feet, but because of a feeling of hospitality.
[Gen. 18:4] Gideon, too, was willing to wash the feet of the Angel of the Lord who appeared to
him, but his willingness was confined to one; he was willing as one who would do a service, not
as one who would confer fellowship with himself. This is a great mystery which no one knew.
Lastly, the Lord said to Peter: “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know
after this. ” [John 13:7] This, I say, is a divine mystery which even they who wash will enquire
into. It is not, then, the simple water of the heavenly mystery whereby we attain to be found
worthy of having part with Christ.
There is also a certain water which we put into the basin of our soul, water from the
fleece and from the Book of Judges; water, too, from the Book of Psalms. It is the water of the
message from heaven. Let, then, this water, O Lord Jesus, come into my soul, into my flesh, that
626 Fr. Lev Gillet, Jesus: A Dialogue With a Savior, p. 121.

Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church ♦ The Holy Pascha
through the moisture of this rain the valleys of our minds and the fields of our hearts may grow
green. May the drops from You come upon me, shedding forth grace and immortality. Wash the
steps of my mind that I may not sin again. Wash the heel of my soul, that I may be able to efface
the curse, that I feel not the serpent’s bite on the foot of my soul, but, as You Thyself have asked
those who follow You, may tread on serpents and scorpions with uninjured foot. You have
redeemed the world, redeem the soul of a single sinner.
This is the special excellence of Your loving-kindness, with which You have redeemed
the whole world one by one. Elijah was sent to one widow; Elisha cleansed one; You, O Lord
Jesus, have on this day cleansed a thousand. How many in the city of Rome, how many at
Alexandria, how many at Antioch, how many also at Constantinople!...
Damasus did not cleanse* Peter did not cleanse, Ambrose did not cleanse, Gregory
did not cleanse; for ours is the ministry, but the sacraments are Yours. For it is not in man’s
power to confer what is divine, but it is, O Lord, Your gift and that of the Father, as you have
spoken by the prophets, saying: “I will pour out o f My Spirit upon all flesh, and their sons and
their daughters shall prophesy. ” [Joel 2:28] This is that typical dew from heaven, this is that
gracious rain, as we read: “Agracious rain, dividing for His inheritance. ” [Ps. 68:9] For the Holy
Spirit is not subject to any foreign power or law, but is the Arbiter of this own freedom, dividing
all things according to the decision of His own will, to each, as we read, severally as He wills. [1
Cor. 12:11]
St. Ambrose627
We should take this in a literal and mystical sense. Its literal sense is that we should
serve each other in charity, not only by washing our brothers’ feet, but also by aiding them in any
of their needs. The mystical sense is that, just as the Lord desires to forgive the sins of those
who repent, so also should we hasten to forgive our brothers when they sin against us. Just as
He washes us from our sins by interceding with the Father on our behalf [Rom. 8:34], so also
should we, “I f anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask,
and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. ” [1 John 5:16] The
Apostle James also advises that we should confess to one another, and pray for each other
[James 5:16]. Just as He laid down His life for us, so we also if the occasion arises, should
lay down our life for our brothers. [1 John 3:16]
It is He, therefore, into whose hands the Father had given all things, who now washes, not
the disciples’ hands, but their feet: and it was just while knowing that He had come from God,
and was proceeding to God, that He discharged the office of a servant, not of God the Lord, but
of man. And this also is referred to by the prefatory notice he has been pleased to make of His
betrayer, who was now come as such, and was not unknown to Him; that the greatness of His
humility should be still further enhanced by the fact that He did not esteem it beneath His dignity
to wash also the feet of one whose hands He already foresaw to be steeped in wickedness.
But why should we wonder that He rose from supper, and laid aside His garments, who,
being in the form of God, made Himself of no reputation? And why should we wonder, if He
girded Himself with a towel, who took upon Him the form of a servant, and was found in the
likeness of a man? [Phil. 2:6-7] Why wonder, if He poured water into a basin wherewith to wash
His disciples’ feet, who poured His blood upon the earth to wash away the filth of their sins?
627 Saint Ambrose, On the Holy Spirit, Book 1, NPNF, s. 2, v. 8.

628 Bede the Venerable, Commentary on John 13:14, BOG, v.l.
Page 312
Why wonder, if with the towel wherewith He was girded He wiped the feet He had washed, who
with the very flesh that clothed Him laid a firm path way for the footsteps of His evangelists?
In order, indeed, to gird Himself with the towel, He laid aside the garments He
wore. But when He emptied Himself [of His divine glory] in order to assume the form of a
servant, He laid not down what He had, but assumed that which He had not before.
When about to be crucified, He was indeed stripped of His garments, and when dead was
wrapped in linen clothes: and all that suffering of His is our purification.
When, therefore, about to suffer the last extremities [of humiliation,] He here illustrated
beforehand its friendly compliances; not only to those for whom He was about to endure death,
but to him also who had resolved on betraying Him to death.
Because so great is the beneficence of human humility, that even the Divine Majesty was
pleased to commend it by His own example; for proud man would have perished eternally, had
he not been found by the lowly God. For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which
was lost. And as he was lost by imitating the pride of the deceiver, let him now, when found,
imitate the Redeemer’s humility.
St. Augustine629
The Washing of the Feet, Repentance m i Baptism
He who has been washed has need still to wash his feet....[for] in holy baptism a man
has all of him washed, not everything but his feet, but every part. But after living in this human
state, he cannot fail to tread on the ground with his feet. Thus our human feelings themselves,
which are inseparable from our mortal life on earth, are like feet with which we come into
sensible contact with human affairs...
Therefore, every day He who intercedes for us is washing our feet. We, too have a
daily need to be washing our feet, that is ordering aright the path of our spiritual foot steps, we
acknowledge even in the Lord’s prayer, when we say, “Forgive us our trespasses as we also
forgive those who trespass against us. ” For “I f we confess our sins, ” then truly He who washed
His disciples’ feet is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness, ” [1 John 1:9]...
Accordingly the Church, which Christ cleanses with the washing of water in the
word, is without spot and wrinkle, not only in the case of those who are taken away
immediately after the washing of regeneration from the contagious influence of this life,
and tread not the earth so as to make necessary the washing of their feet, but in those also
who have experienced such mercy from the Lord as to be enabled to quit this present life
even with feet that have been washed.
But although the Church is also clean in respect of those who tarry on earth,
because they live righteously; they still need to be washing their feet, because they
assuredly are not without sin. This is why it is said in the Song of Songs, ((I have washed my
feet; how shall I defile them?" For one so speaks when he is constrained to come to Christ, and
in coming has to bring his feet into contact with the ground.
St. Augustine 30
629 St. Augustine, Tractate 55 on John 13:1-5, §§5-6, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.

630 St. Augustine, Tractate 56 on John 13:6-10, §§1-5, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.
Page 313
Boes the Upper Moom stiil exist today?
On the southwestern hill of Jerusalem, now called Mount Zion, next to the Dormition
Abbey stand the remains of the first century Church of the Apostles. This church was built to
mark the place where the apostles prayed after they returned from witnessing the Ascension. All
that remains of that church is a small chamber now venerated as the tomb of King David.
In the twelfth century the Crusaders incorporated the remains of the first century church
into the Church of St. Mary. Above it they built a room to commemorate the spot where Jesus
and the disciples celebrated the Last Supper and where the Spirit descended on the day of
Pentecost (Mt. 26:17-30; Acts 1:12—14; 2:1-13).
In the sixteenth century Muslims turned the Upper Room into a mosque by adding a
prayer niche in its southern wall. An Arabic inscription on the wall dating to 1524
commemorates this event. The Upper Room was restored in the mid-1980s. Obviously this
chamber cannot be the Upper Room of New Testament times. About the best that can be said for
this traditional Upper Room is that somewhere near here the Last Supper and Pentecost took
place.631
Pmyer
O Lord, how great is Your love and care for me? You came as the “suffering Servant” to
serve me not only face to face, but at my feet. It is I who should be at His feet in repentance for
my many sins, but I always find You at my feet in humble service and unfailing devotion.
I f I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should to wash one
another’s feet For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. (John
13:14-15). Truly, then I must kneel before others in the same way. I must throw off any pride
and ego to sit at the feet of others and wash. Kneel in humility and service and witness the great
fruit of the service of this love. This is the true service, true ministry, true priesthood. Humility
and service, patience and meekness.
The Upper Room as it appears today
63V os, H. F. 1999. Nelson’s New illustrated Bible manners and Customs: How the people o f the Bible really lived.
Page 314
THE LIT17R.GY OF THE EWCHAR1ST

A t t h e L o rd 's ta b l e
1 Cor. 11:23-34; Acts 1:15-20; Psalm 22:4,5, 40:8; Matt 26:20-29
Throughout these days the teachers feed you, Christ daily feeds you, that His Table is ever
ordered before you. Why, O hearers, do you see the Table and come not to the Banquet?
St. Augustine632
632 Sermons on New Testament Lessons, 40:1, 62:4, pp. 392, 448, 504
Page 315
Following the Liturgy of the Water, we celebrate the Divine Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Again, this is the first and only sacrament (outside of Confession) that is celebrated during the
Holy Pascha Week. We celebrate the Divine Liturgy of the Eucharist on Great Thursday since
our Lord established this sacrament after the Last Supper, when He gave His pure Body and
precious Blood to His disciples.
(1) Offering of the Lamb: the Lamb is offered without any psalms or hymns. As
explained earlier, the Agpeya prayers are not prayed as normal during the Holy Pascha Week and
are substituted by the Paschal prayers. The first hymn “Alleluia, this is the day... ” (Fai Pe Bi) is
not chanted for such joyous hymns are not generally chanted on during the Lenten or paschal
days.
(2) Raising of Incense: The priest raises the incense of the Pauline Epistle without the
chanting of “Saved Indeed... ” (Sotees Amen). This because the Church is now focusing on the
passion of our Lord, and does not openly proclaim salvation until Resurrection Sunday.
(3) Pauline Epistle: The Church reads from St. Paul’s famous passage of the importance
of the Holy Eucharist in Corinthians 11. This is perhaps the one section in all of the Pauline
Epistles that directly speaks of how to prepare and partake of the Holy Communion in a worthy
and respectful manner. It also contains the Institution Narrative which we repeat in each Divine
Liturgy.
(4) The Catholic Epistle and Acts are not read633
(5) Litany of the Gospel
(6) The Psalm and Gospel are chanted in the annual tone and not the Paschal tone (of
sadness), which is customary during any Divine Liturgy—except during Bright Saturday.
(7) Psalm: here completes the psalm , which began to read in the 9thhour. This selected
verse discusses how the "Table o f the Lord is prepared. ” This table is the altar upon which our
Lord prepared His Holy Body and Precious Blood for us.
(8) Gospel reading is taken from the proclamation of Christ that “This is My body.. .this
is My blood.” Thus, we hear of the institution of the Liturgy by our Lord.
(9) The Creed is recited normally, as explained above.
(10) The Prayer of Reconciliation is not prayed because the Church has not yet been
reconciled through the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. Because we are still waiting for the
suffering and resurrection, the priest does not recite “He descended through Hades through the
Cross ” or “He rose from the dead... ”
(11) Litany of the Oblations is then said, without praying the Diptych for the departed
nor the Commemoration of the Saints—since we have not celebrated the glory of the
Resurrection. Most probably this litany is prayed here (instead of during Matins) because the
basis of this Liturgy seems to be the ancient liturgy of St. Cyril, the oldest liturgy of the Church.
In the Liturgy of St. Basil, the litany of oblations is the last litany prayed during Matins.
(12) Holy Communion: Psalm 150 is not chanted. Instead the 11th hour prophesies are
read. On Thursday evening, near sunset (near the eleventh hour), Christ ate the Passover meal
with the disciples. Afterwards, He instituted the Eucharist. Communion should be either before
or after sunset, in order for us not to participate at the time that the Jews celebrate Passover at
sunset.634
633 Because some books do include a Praxis reading from Acts 1:15-20 regarding the betrayal of Judas, this reading
and its comments follow.
634 HPB, 364.
Page 316
1 C orinthians 11:23-3 4
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in
which He was betrayed took bread; ^ a n d when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My
body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ^ I n the same manna* He also took the cup after
supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of
Me.” 26por as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
^Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of
the body and blood of the Lord. ^ B u t let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the
cup. 29por he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the
Lord’s body. 30por this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge
ourselves, we would not be judged. ^^But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be
condemned with the world. -^Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. -^But if
anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I
come.
Not Symbols, but ike True Body and Blood
Therefore with full assurance let us partake as of the Body and Blood of Christ: for in the
figure of Bread is given to you His Body, and in the figure of Wine His Blood. After partaking of
the Body and Blood of Christ, may you be made of the same Body and the same Blood with
Him. This is why we come to bear Christ in us—because His Body and Blood are distributed
through our members; thus it is that, according to the blessed Peter, we became partakers of the
divine nature. [2 Pet. 1:4]..
In the Old Testament there was show-bread. But this, as it belonged to the Old
Testament, has come to an end. In the New Testament there is the Bread of heaven, and the Cup
of salvation, sanctifying soul and body. For as the Bread corresponds to our body, so is the Word
appropriate to our soul.
Consider, therefore, the Bread and the Wine not as simple elements, for they are,
according to the Lord’s declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ. Even though sense
suggests this to you, let faith establish you. Do not judge the matter from the taste, but from
faith. Be fully assured without a doubt, that the Body and Blood of Christ have been
entrusted to you...
Having learn these things and been fully assured that the what looks like bread is not
bread, though it tastes like it, but the Body of Christ; and that what looks like wine is not wine, it
tastes like it, but the Blood of Christ...And so having [your face] unveiled with a pure
conscience, may you reflect as a mirror the glory of the Lord [2 Cor. 3:18], and proceed from
glory to glory, in Christ Jesus our Lord—To whom be honor, and might, and glory, forever and
ever. Amen.
How can we partake this Sacrament every day without partaking in an ‘unworthy manner ’?
St. Augustine says that the Eucharist should be taken on those special days in which a
man lives in "more special purity and self-restraint” in order to avoid the condemnation of those
who “eats and drink in an unworthy manner ” (1 Cor. 11.29). But, he continues, if a certain sin
635 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 22: On the Body and Blood of Christ (1 Cor. 11:23), NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.
Page 317
inflicts great wounds and violence to the soul, he should not partake of the mysteries for a certain
time. Under the guidance and authority of his bishop, he should be appointed for a certain period
of time for repentance and forbidden to approach the altar. After this time, he can be restored to
his former privileges. If he partakes of the communion at a time when he should be in
repentance, then he would be partaking of the mysteries in an unworthy manner. This is not his
deqision, but his father’s.
As he says, “Is not a matter to be left to one’s own judgment to withdraw himself from
the communion of the Church, or restore himself, as he pleases. However, if his sins are not so
great that he may fall under the sentence of excommunication, then he should not to withdraw
himself from the daily use of the Lord’s body for the healing of the soul.”
St. Augustine636
No time is limited for the performance of this Sacrifice, why then is it then called the
Paschal feast? Because Christ suffered for us then, Let not the time, therefore make any
difference in your approach. There is at all times the same power, the same dignity, the same
grace, one and the same body; nor is one celebration of it more or less holy than another.
A cts
And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a
hundred and twenty), and said, ^ ”Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke
before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; ^ fox he was
numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.” ^(N ow this man purchased a field with the wages of
iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out. ^ A n d it became
known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is,
Field of Blood.) ^ ’’For js written in the book of Psalms: ‘Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live
in it’; and, ‘Let another take his office. ’
Furthermore, before he declares where David had spoken, he relates what had been the
case with Judas, that from the things present he may fetch assurance of the things future, and
show that this man had already received his due. “For he was numbered,” says he, “with us, and
had obtained part o f this ministry. Now this man acquired a field out o f the reward o f iniquity. ”
(v. 17, 18.) He gives his discourse a moral turn, and covertly mentions the cause of the
wickedness, because it carried reproof with it. And he does not say, The Jews, but, “this man,
acquired” it. For since the minds of weak persons do not attend to things future, as they do to
things present, he discourses of the immediate punishment inflicted. “And falling headlong, he
burst asunder in the midst.” He does well to dilate not upon the sin, but upon the punishment.
“And,” he says, “all his bowels gushed out.” This brought them consolation. “And it was known
unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue Acel
Dama, that is to say, the field of blood.” (v. 19). Now the Jews gave it this name, not on this
account, but because of Judas; here, however, Peter makes it to have this reference, and when he
brings forward the adversaries as witnesses, both by the fact that they named it, and by saying,
“in their proper tongue,” this is what he means.
636 St. Augustine, Epistle 54:4.

637 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 5 on 1 Tim, p.505.
638 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 3 on Acts, NPNF, s. 1, v. 11.
Page 318
Hell and the Devil
He who deceived the first man... [and caused them to] be thrown out of the blessings they
had, now suggests these things to Judas. For this reason he persuades some to think there is
no hell, that he may thrust them into hell. God, on the other hand, threatens hell and
prepares it, so that when you know of it you may live as not to fall into hell...
Do you, who have had so great experience of facts and of teaching, make light of
what is told you? The contrary then will be your fate. For as those who feared the words
avoided the vengeance in act, so you who despise the threatening words, will undergo the
punishment in deed. And if now what you are told seems a fable to you, it will not, however,
seem so when the very things convince you, in that Day.
PSALM 2 2 : 5 , 41;9
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel
against me.
The blessed David shall advise you the meaning of this, saying, “You have prepared a
table before me in the presence o f my enemies. ” [Ps. 23:5] What he says, is to this effect: Before
Your coming, the evil spirits prepared a table for men [Mai 1:7], polluted and defiled and full of
devilish influence; but since Your coming. O Lord, You have prepared a table before me. When
the man says to God, You have prepared before me a table, what other does he indicate but that
mystical and spiritual Table, which God has prepared for us over against, that is, contrary and in
opposition to the evil spirits? Very true. For that had communion with devils, but this, with God.
“You have anointed my head with oil." [Ps. 23:5]...
How earnestly He manifests the desire of His soul: “With desire I have desired to eat this
Passover with you before I suffer. "...He desired this not because He was fond of Jewish lamb
but because He had to be “led like a lamb to the slaughter; and because, as a sheep before her
shearers is dumb, so was He not to open His mouth. ” So, He profoundly wished to accomplish
the symbol of His own redeeming blood. He might also have been betrayed by any stranger, did I
not find that even here too He fulfilled a Psalm: “He who did eat bread with me has lifted up his
heel against me. ” And without a price might He have been betrayed. For what need of a traitor
was there in the case of one who offered Himself to the people openly, and might quite as easily
have been captured by force as taken by treachery? This might no doubt have been well enough
for another Christ, but would not have been suitable in One who was accomplishing
prophecies...
Tertullian641
639 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 25 on Romans, NPNF, s. 1, v. 11.

640 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 22: On the Body and Blood of Christ (1 Cor. 11:23), NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.
641 Tertullian, Against Marcon, Book 4, Ch. 40, ANF, v. 3.
Page 319
Who is “the man of peace” raises hisfoot against Him?
Who is this man of His peace? Judas. And in him did Christ trust, that He said, “in
whom I trusted”1 Did He not know: him from the beginning? Did He not before he was bom
know that he would be? Had He not said to all His disciples, “I have chosen you twelve, and one
o f you is a devil”1 How then trusted He in him, but that He is in His Members, and that because
many faithful trusted in Judas, the Lord transferred this to Himself? ... ’’The man o f My peace, in
whom I trusted, which did eat o f My bread. ” How showed He him in His Passion? By the words
of His prophecy: by the sop He marked Him out, that it might appear said of him, “Which did eat
o f My bread. ” Again, when he came to betray Him, He granted him a kiss, that it might appear
said of him, “The man of My peace.”
St. Augustine642
We are told in the Gospel that Judas, one of Christ’s friends and associates at table,
betrayed Him...This is foretold in the Psalms: “He who has eaten My bread has lifted up his
heel against M e:” [Ps. 41:9] and in another place; “My friends and My neighbors drew near and
set themselves against Me: ” [Ps. 35:15] and again; “His words were made softer than oil and yet
be they very darts. ” [Ps. 55:12] What then is meant by his words were made soft? “Judas came
to Jesus and said unto Him, Hail, Master, and kissed Him. ” [Matt. 26:49] Thus through the soft
blandishment of a kiss he implanted the execrable dart of betrayal. On which the Lord said to
him, “Judas, do you betray the Son o f Man with a kiss? ” [Luke 22:48]
You observe that He was appraised by the traitor’s covetousness at thirty pieces of
silver. Of this also the Prophet speaks, “Then I said to them, “I f it is agreeable to you, give me
my wages; and if not, refrain; ” and presently, “I received from them, ” he says, “thirty pieces o f
silver, and I cast them into the house o f the Lord, into the foundry. ” [Zech. 11:12-13]. Is not this
what is written in the Gospels, that Judas, “repenting o f what he had done, brought back the
money, and threw it down in the temple and departed?” [Matt. 27:3,5] Well did He call it His
price, as though blaming and upbraiding. For He had done so many good works among them, He
had given sight to the blind, feet to the lame, the power of walking to the palsied, life also to the
dead; for all these good works they paid Him death as His price, appraised at thirty pieces of
silver. It is related also in the Gospels that He was bound. This also the word of prophecy had
foretold by Isaiah, saying, “Woe unto their soul, who have devised a most evil device against
themselves, saying, Let us bind the just One, seeing that He is unprofitable to us. ” [Is. 3:9]
Rufinus643
MA T T HE W 2 6 : 2 0 - 2 9
When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. 21 N o w as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I
say to you, one of you will betray Me.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to
Him, “Lord, is it I?” ^ H e answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. ^ T h e
Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It
would have been good for that man if he had not been bom.” ^ T h e n Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and
said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.”
2 Â n d as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said
“Take, eat; this is My body.” ^ T hen He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink
from it, all of you. ^ F o r this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of
642 St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalm 41, NPNF s, 1. v, 8.

643 Rufinus, Commentary on the Apostles Creed, §20, NPNF, s. 2, v. 3.
Page 320
sins. ^ B u t I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it
new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
Why were the disciples exceedingly sorrowfulthis news?
I believe that each of the disciples knew from the things Jesus had taught them that
human nature is unstable and vulnerable to be turned toward sin and that in struggling “against
the principalities and powers and rulers o f this world o f darkness ” [Eph. 6:12] a man can be
besieged and fall or be so weakened by the power of the enemy that he becomes evil. Aware of
these things, then, each disciple was “very sorrowful” because Christ had said, “one o f you will
betray Me. ” And each disciple not knowing what he might do in the future, began to inquire one
by one, “Is it 1, Lord?” Yet, if the apostles had good reason to fear that they might betray Him,
we who have not yet tasted of perfection must also be afraid of falling victim to future weakness.
That is why the apostle said, “I am certain that neither death nor life...is able to separate us
from the love o f God in Christ Jesus. ” [Rom. 8:38-39] But whoever is not yet perfect should
remain aware that he is still capable of falling.
Intolerable sorrow then seized that holy company. And John says, they “the disciples
looked at one another, uncertain o f whom He spoke, ” [John 13:22]. Each of them asked in fear
concerning himself, although conscious to themselves of no such imagination. But this evangelist
writes, that “They were very sorrowful and began to say to Him one after another, “is it I,
lord? ’” He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with Me will betray Me. ”
The Experience o f the Eucharist
If therefore we wish to receive the bread of blessing from Jesus, who is eager to give it,
we should enter the city and go into the house, prepared before hand, where Jesus kept the
Passover with His disciples. If we ascend to the “large furnished upper room” where He “took
the cup” from the Father and “when He had given thanks, He gave it to them” who had gone up
there with Him and said, “Drink this, for this is My Blood o f the New Covenant. ” The cup was
both consumed and poured out. It was consumed by the disciples. It was “poured out for the
remission of sins” committed by those who drink it. If you want to know in what sense it was
poured out, compare this saying with what was written [by Paul]: “God’s love has been poured
into our hearts. ” [Rom. 5:5] if the blood of the covenant was poured into our hearts for the
remission of our sins, then by the pouring of that potable blood into our hearts all the sins we
have committed in the past will be remitted and wiped clean.
When we eat the holy body of Christ, our Savior of us all, and drink of His precious
blood, we thus obtain the life in us, for we become as if we are one with Him; we dwell in Him,
and He too reigns in us. Do not doubt, for this is true, since He is the One who says it clearly
(John 6)’ This is my flesh, this is My blood.’ Rather, accept the word of the Savior in faith, for
He is the Truth who can never lie. ^
St. Cyril the Great
644 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew 81, PG 58:731, AACS, v. lb, p. 246.
646 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew 86, AACS, lb, pp. 249-250.
Page 321
Many now say, “We want to see His form, His clothes, His sandals, oh?” Here you are
seeing Him, touching Him, eating Him. Indeed, you do wish to see His clothes, and here He is
giving you Himself. This is not only that you see Him, but also to touch Him, eat Him, and
accept Him inside you.
St. John Chrysostom
How could the Lord drink of the Vine in the Kingdom ? (v, 29)
We must answer carefully to guard against those of low mind who might suppose the
resurrection was merely an appearance. The apostles understood themselves after the
resurrection to have eaten and drunk with Him. He said this to show them that they would see
Him manifestly risen and that He would be with them once more. They themselves were to be
witnesses of these events, in that they both saw them and experienced them. So He says, I will
not drink of the fruit of this vine again with you, “until that day when I drink it new with you in
My Father's K i n g d o m “You will see me rise again. You will bear witness to My
Resurrection...”
647St. John Chrysostom, Homily 82.2 on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10.
Page 322
T he E leventh H o u r :
T he Beg in n in g o f Suffering
Is. 52:13-53:12; Zech. 12:11— 14:9; Ps. 49:17-18; John 13:12-30
Before we partake of the Holy Mysteries, we should examine ourselves and our life of
repentance, as explained in the last hours. But, afterwards, we must continue prayer and
thanksgiving, as St. John Chrysostom warns us, “Hear this, as many as do not wait for the last
prayer of the mysteries, for this is a symbol of that. He gave thanks before He gave it to His
disciples, that we also may give thanks. He gave thanks, and sang a hymn after giving thanks,
that we also may do this selfsame thing.”648 The readings of this hour help us in this endeavor.
The reading from Isaiah is the fourth and final servant song mentioned in the second part
of Isaiah that tells a personal message from the prophet.649 It is a remarkable passage that
explains the suffering he endured, which suggests more clearly than anything in the Old
Testament that God accepts one individual’s suffering to atone for the sins of others.650
This reading becomes an introduction to Christ’s suffering that He would endure for us
and prophesies about the Messiah as the Paschal lamb. These powerful verses are also used
during the Divine Liturgy According to Saint Gregory to explain the great ordeal suffered by our
Lord. It begins to predict that the disciples would betray Him, how we leave Him in the midst of
our sin “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, very one to His own way (53:6). It
prophesies of His silent sorrow amidst the painful beatings. It explains in vivid detail His stripes
and bruises. But why such suffering? Why such brutal torment? The Holy Spirit has explained
to us hundreds of years before the Crucifixion why. “But He was wounded for our
transgressions, He was bruisedfor our iniquities; The chastisementfor our peace was upon Him,
and by His stripes we are healed. ” Why? For our sake. For our forgiveness and salvation.
The Second prophesy is taken from Zechariah, which foretells of the wounds of our
Lord and the scattering of the disciples.
Then, the Psalm speak to Judas, who has betrayed the Lord and cast the word of God
behind him. Finally, the Gospel reading continues from the last hours of the Last Supper. Here,
Judas departs and the Lord declares His divinity, “I am He. ”
The previous gospels of Holy Thursday all spoke of the preparation of the Passover by
the Disciples. However, this gospel is speaks of how the Lord, despite all of this suffering, was
prepared to offer Himself as this acceptable sacrifice out of His will. He offered willfully,
submitting to the Father His life, exactly as the burnt offering must be offered out of free will
(Lev. 1:3)
I s a i a h S 2 ? 1 3 - S 3 j 12
Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. 14Just as
many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of
men; ^ S o shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them
they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.
53:1 w h o has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the L o r d been revealed? 2For He
shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And
when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of

649 Boadt, Reading the Old Testament, 419.
650 Id. At 428.
Page 323
sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not
esteem Him.
^Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by
God, and afflicted. ^But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The
chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Âll we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the L o r d has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
?He Ayas oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the
slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. ^He was taken from prison
and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the
transgressions of My people He was stricken. Ând they made His grave with the wicked—But with the rich at His
death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
Yet it pleased the L o r d to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for
sin. He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the L o r d shall prosper in His hand. ^ H e
shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He
shall bear their iniquities.
^Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin
of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
The Outstretched Arm o f the L ori
This remarkable chapter has been always considered as one of the most beloved to
believers, because it reveals the mystery of the cross and its power, as the Lord outstretched His
arms in practical love to redeem humanity, according to His words: “/ will redeem you with an
outstretched arm.” (Exodus 6:6)... Our Christ - the arm of the Lord - has been revealed to us, to
enjoy Him as the mystery of our life, saying, “The life was manifested, and we have seen, and
bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested
to us. ” (1 John 1: 2)
Christ is Christ of the humble and not of the arrogant. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the rod of
authority of God’s greatness, did not come in a procession of pride and vanity, although He
could have so done, but He came in humility, as the Holy Spirit has proclaimed about Him
St. Clement of Rome652
God, the Son of God, the arm of God sustains such passion!
Do not forget that Christ is the arm of the Lord! Do not let the (spiritual enemies) rejoice
saying, ‘Christians are only here for a limited time!
St. Augustine654
“7b whom has the arm o f the Lord been revealed?” By giving you His Christ, He is
granting you His arm; and by giving you His arm He is granting you His Christ. He leads man to
the Way, through leading him to His Christ; and leads him to His Christ, through leading to the
651 Fr. Tadros Malaty, A Patristic Commentary on the Book of Isaiah, Ch. 53.
652 St. Clement of Rome, Epistle 1:6, ANF, v. 1.
653 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 13§13, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.
Page 324
Way; Christ is the Truth

St. Augustine655
“You open your hand; they are filled with g o o d s (Ps. 104:28) What does opening your
hands to the Lord mean? Christ is your hand... “To whom has the arm o f the Lord been
revealedV It is opened when it is revealed, as revelation is opening. “You open your hand; they
are filled with goods f When you reveal your Christ, you become filled with goods.
St. Augustine656
The Crms m Redemption m d Satmiim
He bore our sins and infirmities; nevertheless He did not suffer anything that needs cure.
He, like us, was tempted in everything, with no sin of His own. Whoever could oppose the light
that shines in the darkness?
He has been crushed and wounded; yet He healed every infirmity and every weakness.
Do not be ashamed of the Crucified, but you should rather be proud of Him, saying, He
carried our sins, He took up our sorrows, and His wounds healed us.
The Lord delivered His body to death, to sanctify us through the forgiveness of sins,
realized by the sprinkling of His blood. We should thank the Lord from our depths, because
He revealed to us things that passed; gave us wisdom concerning those at present; and did not
leave us without understanding of those of the future.
Epistle to Barnabas660
We are purified by His precious blood from all sins; His blood which does not scream for
vengeance like that of Abel (Heb. 12: 24)
St. Athanasius661
I wish we remind ourselves of the benefit of the true faith; as it is proper for me to realize
that Christ has taken up my infirmities for my sake, submitted to the pains of my body; For my
sake - namely for the sake of everyone - “He became a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13). For my sake
He submitted and was humiliated! He became a curse - not by His divinity but by His manhood -
as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Gal. 3: 13). He was hanged by His
body; becoming a curse, He who took up our curse! He cried, so as to spare you much crying!
What a glorious cure! For us to have the comfort of Christ! For our sake He suffered these things
with amazing patience... when we, for His name’s sake, cannot bear the normal patience! His

657 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Oration On Easter, 2:13, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.
658 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Oration On the Son, 20, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.
659 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 13 §34, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.
660 Epistle To Barnabas, Ch 5, ANF, v. 1.
661 St. Athanasius, Paschal Epistle 1, NPNF, s. 2, v. 4.
Page 325
tears wash us, and His crying cleanses us!

St. Ambrose662
Surely, the prophecy talks more clearly about Lord Jesus, as it says, “He was led as a
lamb to the slaughter.” (Is. 53: 7) (Being our Passover) Your forehead was anointed by the mark
of His blood, and also the two (doorposts). All Christians carry that same mark.
St. Augustine663
When He was scourged He opened not His mouth! And when He was crucified He
prayed for His crucifiers! How can I pay the Lord off for all what He had given me? The Chalice
of salvation I take, and call the Name of the Lord!
St. Jerome664
When He was led as a sacrifice, “as a sheep before His shearers,” He was silent; and
when He was crucified and buried, He was all the time the hidden God of gods.
St. Augustine665
Z e c h a r i a h 12:11— 14:9
In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain
of Megiddo. ^ A n d the land shall mourn, every family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their
wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; ^ th e family of the
house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of Shimei by itself, and their wives by themselves;
lâll the families that remain, every family by itself, and their wives by themselves.
13;l ”In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for
sin and for uncleanness.
2”It shall be in that day,” says the L o r d of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land,
and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land.
Ît shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, ‘You
shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the L o r d .’ And his father and mother who begot him
shall thrust him through when he prophesies.
4”And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will
not wear a robe of coarse hair to deceive. ^But he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a farmer; for a man taught me to
keep cattle from my youth.’ Ând one m il say to him , ‘W h at are these w ounds b etw een you r arm s?’ T hen he
w ill answ er , 6Those w ith w hich I w as w ounded in the house o f m y frien d s.’
A w ake, O sw ord, against M y Shepherd, A gain st the M an w ho is M y C om p anion ,” Says the L o r d
o f hosts. “ Strike the Shepherd, A n d the sheep w ill be scattered; T hen I w ill turn M y hand against the little
ones.
Ând it shall come to pass in all the land,” Says the L o r d , “That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-
third shall be left in it: ^1 will bring the one-t\m& through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test
them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is M y p eop le’; And
each one will say, ‘The L o r d is my God.’ “
1Behold, the day of the L o r d is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst. ^For I will gather
all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half
of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
^Then the L o r d will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle....
662 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Divine Love, pp. 421-422 (Arabic)

663 St. Augustine, On the Catechizing of the Uninstructed.
664 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Divine Love, p. 246 (Arabic)
Page 326
Ît shall come to pass in that day That there will be no light; The lights will diminish. Ît shall be one day
Which is known to the L o r d — Neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen That it will be light. Ând
in that day it shall be That living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, Half of them toward the eastern sea And half of
them toward the western sea; In both summer and winter it shall occur. Ând the L o r d shall be King over all the
earth. In that day it shall b e - “T he L o r d is on e,” A n d H is nam e one.
The prophet Zechariah foretold that Christ would be smitten, and His disciples scattered:
which also took place. For after His Crucifixion, the disciples that accompanied Him were
dispersed, until He rose from the dead, and persuaded them that so it had been prophesied
concerning Him, that He would suffer; and being thus persuaded, they went into all the world,
and taught these truths. Hence also we are strong in His faith and doctrine, since we have [this
our] persuasion both from the prophets, and from those who throughout the world are seen to be
worshippers of God in the name of that crucified One. The following is said, too, by Zechariah:
‘O sword' rise up against My Shepherd, and against the man o f My people, says the Lord of
hosts. Smite the Shepherd, and His flock shall be scattered. ’
But why does He go to the mountain? Making Himself manifest, that He may be taken,
in order not to seem to hide Himself. For He hastened to go to the place which was also
known to Judas. Then “He says unto them, All you shall be offended in Me. ” After this He
mentions also a prophecy, “For it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be
scattered abroad: ” at once persuading them ever to give heed to the things that are written, and
at same time making it plain that He was crucified, according to God’s purpose. By everything
He showed that He was not alien to the old covenant, nor from the God preached therein, but that
what is done is a dispensation, and that the prophets all proclaimed all things beforehand from
the beginning that are comprised in the matter, so that they be quite confident about the better
things also.
And He teaches us to know what the disciples were before the crucifixion, what after the
' crucifixion. For indeed they who, when He was crucified, were not able so much as to stand their
ground, these after His death were mighty, and stronger than adamant.
The teacher must suffer dangers even more than the disciple. “For I will smite the
shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered abroad. ” (Zech. 13:7.) Therefore the devil rages with
greater violence against teachers, because by their destruction the flock also is scattered. For by
slaying the sheep, he has lessened the flock, but when he has made away with the shepherd, he
has ruined the whole flock, so that he the rather assaults him, as working greater mischief by a
less effort; and in one soul effecting the ruin of all.
P sa l m 49:17~18
^Seeing you hate instruction And cast My words behind you? *^When you saw a thief, you consented
with him, And have been a partaker with adulterers.
666 St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue, Ch. 53, ANF, v. 1.

668 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 1 on 1 Timothy, NPNF, s. 1, v. 13.
Page 327
Imagine for me now that rich man, who was heaping up profits every day and gains of
various sorts and was being tormented by his greedy desires. Suddenly he regains his senses, and
he considers within himself that “when he dies, he shall take nothing away, and the glory of his
house shall not descend with him,” and that his possessions give some pleasure in this life, but
not for the future. Thus he opens up his eyes to heavenly things. Don’t you think he drank like
one who was drinking in his dreams and feasted like one who was feasting in his dreams, but he
opened his eyes and recognized that his soul had hoped in nothing and was still hungry and
thirsty? Greed has no limit and is not fulfilled with plundering but spurred on by it, for it is
the more in want, the more it has sought to acquire. And therefore this man arose, and the
dream is empty.
St. Ambrose669
You hate discipline. When I spare, you singe and praise: when I chasten, you murmur: as
though, when I spare, I am your God: and, when I chasten, I am not your God. “I rebuke and
chasten those whom I love. ” “But you hate instruction: and have thrown My sayings behind
you. ” The words that are said through you, you throw behind you. “And you have thrown My
sayings behind you: ” to a place where they may not be seen by you, but may load you. “And you
have thrown My sayings behind you.”
“I f you saw a thief you consented unto him, and with adulterers you didst make your
portion ” (v. 18). Do not say, I have not committed theft, I have not committed adultery.
What if he pleased you that has committed? Have you not consented with the very idea? Have
you not by approval made your portion with him that has committed? For this is, brethren, to
consent with a thief, and to make with an adulterer your portion: for even if you have not
committed, and approved what is committed, you are an accessory in the deed: for “the sinner is
praised in the longings o f his soul, and he that does iniquity shall be blessed. ” If you have not
done evil things, but have praised evil-doers, is this a small evil? “You made your portion
with adulterers. ”
St. Augustine670
JOHN 13:12 ~ 3 0
So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you
know what I have done to you? ^ Y o u call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. ^ I f I then, your
Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should to wash one another’s feet. ^ F o r I have given you an
example, that you should do as I have done to you. ^ M o st assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his
master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. ^ I f you know these things, blessed are you if you do
them, do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled,
‘He who eats bread with M e has lifted up his heel against Me. 9 ^N ow I tell you before it comes, that when it does
come to pass, you may believe that I am He. ^ M o s t assuredly, I say to you, he w ho receives w h om ever I send
receives M e; and he w ho receives M e receives H im w ho sent M e.” ^ ^When Jesus had said these things, He was
troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “M ost assuredly, I say to you, one o f you w ill b etray M e.” ^^Then the
disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. ^ N o w there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of
His disciples, whom Jesus loved. ^S im o n Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.
2^Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I
shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it. ” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son
of Simon. ^ N o w after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
669 St. Ambrose, The Prayer of Job and David, 3:9, pp.333-334.
Page 328
2 % ut no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. ^ F o r some thought, because Judas had the
money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to
the poor. -^Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.
“One of You will Betray Me. ”
Did Judas also fall from the apostolic order in which he too, being once in a condition
similar to the other disciples, was exalted?
This is how I understand the statement, “Behold Adam has become one o f us, ” [Gen.
3:22], since it is said there, neither ‘as we,’ nor ‘as I,’ but because of the one who had fallen from
blessedness, “as one of us.” [And the phrase], “as one” seems to me to agree also with the
statement, “But you indeed die as men, andfall like one o f the princes. ” [Ps. 81:7]
For of the many who are princes, one has fallen, with whom sinners fall in close imitation
of his fall. For just as that one who partook of deity has fallen, so too have those to whom the
Word says, “I have said, you are gods and all sons o f the Most High, ” [Ps. 81:6] fallen from
blessedness and, although they were not originally men, they die as men, and fall as on e of the
princes.
Lmmimg onHis Bmmt
The Disciple leaning on the Master’s breast was not only a sign of
present love, but also of future mystery...Since in Jesus’ breast “are
hidden all the treasures o f wisdom and knowledge” [Col. 2:3], it was fitting
that the one who leaned upon His breast was the one to whom He had
granted a larger gift of unique wisdom and knowledge than the rest.
The beginning of the Gospel St. John contains a high and divine
mystery—for it poured forth for that he drank it in from the Lord’s Breast.
Remember, that it has been very lately read to you, how that this. St. John the
Evangelist lay in the Lord’s Bosom. [John 13:23] And wishing to explain this clearly, he says,
“On the Lord’s Breast;” [John 13:25] that we might understand what he meant, by “in the
Lord’s bosom. ” For what, think we, did he drink in who was lying on the Lord’s Breast? Nay, let
us not think, but drink; for we too have just now heard what we may drink in.
St. Augustine673
The Word was made flesh that we might pass from the flesh into the Word. The Word did
not cease to be what He had been; nor did the human nature lose that which it was by birth. The
glory was increased, the nature was not changed. Do you ask how we are made one body with
Christ? Your creator shall be your instructor: “He that eats my flesh and drinks My blood abides
in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because o f the Father, so he that eats
me, he also shall live because o f me. This is the bread which came down out o f heaven. ” But the
Evangelist John, who had drunk in wisdom from the breast of Christ, agrees herewith, and
671 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, Book 32, FC v. 89, §§229-234, p. 385.
672 Bede the Venerable, Homily 1.9: Feast of St. John the Evangelist, Homilies on the Gospels, Book 1, p. 88.
Page 329
says: “Hereby know we that we abide in him, and he in us, because He has given us o f His Spirit.
Whoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son o f God, God abides in him, and he in God. ”
St. Ambrose674
I think that if indeed John was at the time reclining symbolically on the bosom of Jesus,
having been considered worthy of this privilege, because he was judged worthy of remarkable
love from the Teacher, this symbolism shows that John, by reclining on the Word and resting on
more mystical things, was reclining in the bosom of the Word, analogous also to the Word being
in the bosom of the Father, according to the statement, “The only begotten Son, who is in the
bosom o f the Father, He has declared Him. ” [John 1:18]...
Let us do all things that we may be reckoned in His choice love; for in this way shall we
too recline in the bosom of Jesus. But Simon Peter beckons to the beloved disciple, and not
being satisfied with beckoning, says to him, “tell me who it is o f whom He speaks, "...for he
wished, perhaps, to perceive the mystery concerning Judas’ betrayal of Jesus.
That Peter might learn this, John, although he formerly reclined on Jesus’ bosom, moved
up and leaned on His breast. Perhaps he would not have delivered the word that John or Peter
wished to learn to one who did not lean on His breast, but continued to recline on His bosom.
Therefore, although he formerly reclined in Jesus’ bosom, but later leaned on Jesus’
breast, the genuine disciple of Jesus is characterized in the final words of the gospel by the
second act, since it is greater and superior. For it is written, “Then Peter, turning around, saw the
disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said,
“Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”“ [John 21:20] For it is not written, “Who was
reclining on Jesus’ bosom.”
The three evangelists, were mainly engaged with those things which Christ did through
the flesh of man, and in a chronological way. But John, on the other hand, had in view that true
divinity of the Lord in which He is the Father’s equal, and directed his efforts above all to the
setting forth of the divine nature in his Gospel in such a way as he believed to be adequate to
men’s needs and notions.
Therefore he is borne to loftier heights, in which he leaves the other three far behind him.
So that, while in them you see men who have their conversation in a certain manner with the
man Christ on earth, in him you perceive one who has passed beyond the cloud in which the
whole earth is wrapped, and who has reached the liquid heaven from which, with clearest
and steadiest mental eye, he is able to look upon God the Word, who was in the beginning
with God, and by whom all things were made. [John 1:1,3]
There he can also recognize Him who was made flesh in order that He might dwell
among us...of all these we might almost say that we are indebted for their introduction into the
Gospel narrative to John alone. For he is like one who has drunk in the secret of His divinity
more richly and somehow more familiarly than others, as if he drew it from the very bosom
of his Lord on which it was his wont to recline when He sat at meat. [John 13:23]
St. Augustine676
674 St. Ambrose, Against Jovianus, Book 2, NPNF, s. 2, v. 6.

675 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, CUA, v. 89, Book 32, §§264-279, pp. 393-394.
676 St. Augustine, Harmony of the Gospels, Book 2, §157, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6.
Page 330
“The disciple whom Jesus loved”
What he meant by saying “in His bosom, ” he tells us a little further on, where he says,
“on the breast o f Jesus. ” It was that very John whose Gospel is before us, as he afterwards
expressly declares. For it was a custom with those who have supplied us with the sacred writings,
that when any of them was relating the divine history, and came to something affecting himself,
he spoke as if it were about another; and gave himself a place in the line of his narrative
becoming one who was the recorder of public events, and not as one who made himself the
subject of his preaching.
Saint Matthew acted also in this way, when, in coming in the course of his narrative to
himself, he says, “He saw a publican named Matthew, sitting at the receipt o f custom, and said
unto him, Follow me. " [Matt. 9:9] He does not say, He saw me, and said to me. The blessed
Moses did the same when writing all the history about himself as if it concerned another, and
saying, “The Lord said unto Moses. ” [Ex. 6:1] Less habitually was this done by the Apostle
Paul, not however in any history which undertakes to explain the course of public events, but in
his own epistles. At all events, he speaks thus of himself: “I knew a man in Christ fourteen years
ago, (whether in the body, or whether out o f the body, I cannot tell: God knows;) such an one
caught up into the third heaven. ” [2 Cor. 12:2] And so, when the blessed evangelist also says
here, not, I was leaning on Jesus’ bosom, but, “There was leaning one of the disciples,” let us
recognize a custom of our author’s, rather than fall into any wonder on the subject. For what loss
is there to the truth, when the facts themselves are told us, and all boastfulness of language is in a
measure avoided? For thus at least did he relate that which most signally pertained to his praise.
But what do the words, “whom Jesus loved ” mean? As if He did not love the others, of
whom this same John has said above, “He loved them to the end” (v. 1); and as the Lord
Himself, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ” And
who could enumerate all the testimonies of the sacred pages, in which the Lord Jesus is exhibited
as the lover, not only of this one, or of those who were then around Him, but of such also as were
to be His members in the distant future, and of His universal Church? But there is some truth,
doubtless, underlying these words, and having reference to the bosom on which the narrator was
leaning. For what else can be indicated by the bosom but some hidden truth?
St. Augustine677
In one way we love our parents, in another our wives, in another our brothers, in another
our children, and there is a wide difference in regard to the claims of these feelings of affection,
nor is the love of parents towards their children always equal.... As is shown by the case of the
patriarch Jacob, who, though he was the father of twelve sons and loved them all with a father’s
love, yet loved Joseph with deeper affection.
This also, we read, was very clearly shown in the case of John the Evangelist, where
these words are used of him: “that disciple whom Jesus loved. ” For He certainly embraced all
the other eleven—whom He had chosen in the same way, with His special love, as this He shows
also by the witness of the gospel, where He says: “As I have loved you, so do you also love one
another; ” of whom elsewhere also it is said: “Loving His own who were in the world, He loved
them even to the end. ” ■
But this love of one in particular did not indicate any coldness in love for the rest of
the disciples, but only a fuller and more abundant love towards the one, which his
677 St. Augustine, Tractate 61 on John, NPNF, s. I, v. 7.
Page 331
prerogative of virginity and the purity of his flesh bestowed upon him. And therefore it is
marked by exceptional treatment, as being something more sublime, because no hateful
comparison with others, but a richer grace of superabundant love singled it out. Something of
this sort too we have in the character of the bride in the Song of Songs, where she says: “Set in
order love in me. ” For this is true love set in order, which, while it hates no one, yet loves some
still more by reason of their deserving it, and which, while it loves all in general, singles out for
itself some from those, whom it may embrace with a special affection, and again among those,
who are the special and chief objects of its love, singles out some who are preferred to others in
affection.
St. John Cassian678
DidJudas take communion?
There are different opinions regarding this matter. St. Cyril of Alexandria and many other
fathers believe that Judas had left before partaking of the Eucharist and that he partook only of
the Passover meal. Also, one of the earliest documents from the fathers available, the Apostolic
Teachings, tells us that Judas was not present. This continues in the Alexandrian tradition with
our beloved H.H. Pope Shenouda III, which is included below.
However, some of the fathers such as St. Augustine679 and St. John Chrysostom680—
depending mainly on the gospel of St. Luke—came to the conclusion that Judas was present for
both the Eucharist and the Passover meal. Other fathers respond, saying that St. Luke did not
present his gospel chronologically, but thematically, unlike the other gospel writers.
The Scholar Origen states that Judas did not necessarily eat the morsel, for the phrase
“after the piece of bread...” could mean both after Judas had eaten the bread or taken it in his
hand. Thus, the Scholar Origen says that either Judas ate the bread and received condemnation
from the Holy Mysteries, or that Satan prevented him from partaking of the mysteries and
entered him after he had received the bread in his hand.681
The eleventh hour of Holy Tuesday included the homily of St. John Chrysostom in which
he spoke of his concern for our “extreme looseness, permissiveness, alarming audacity and
lamentable recklessness” in concerning approaching the sacraments without repentance and
proper preparation. However, the Holy Synod decided to remove this homily based on the
inaccuracy of the last sentence which mentions that Judas had taken communion: “Anyone who
partakes of it undeservingly will suffer abominable punishment; as was the case with Judah who
betrayed God when he had communion with Him without being worthy.”
The opinion of [some] fathers of the church is that he attended the Passover meal but not
the Eucharist. It is clear from the saying of the Lord Christ about His betrayer, “He answered
and said to them, “It is one o f the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. ” [Mark 14:20] The
phrase, “dips in the dish ” goes along with the Passover but not partaking from the Body and
Blood of the Lord where He broke the bread and gave them then tasted from the cup and gave
them. (1 Cor. 11:23-25). The gospel of St. John says, “And having dipped the bread, He gave it
to Judas Iscariot, the son o f Simon. Now after the piece o f bread, Satan entered him... Having
received the piece o f bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night. ” [John 13:26-30]
Clearly the sacrament of Eucharist there is no dipping of bread, but this was the
678 St. John Cassian, Conferences, The First Conference on Abbot Joseph, Ch. 14, NPNF, s. 2, v. 11.
679 St. Augustine, Tractate 62 on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7; Harmony of the Gospels, 3.1.4, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6.
681 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, Book 32, §§ 306-312, pp. 399-400.
Page 332
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church 4- The Holy Pascha
Passover...Furthermore, if Judas did partake of the Body and Blood then he partook it unworthily
not discerning the Lord’s body, and partook judgment to himself (1 Cor. 11:27-29). However,
[some] fathers of the church said that he partook of the Passover only; then went to carry out his
crime. The Lord gave His covenant only to the eleven disciples...
H.H. Pope Shenouda III682
After Judas the betrayer had gone out, the Savior revealed the saving mystery to the
Eleven. Now Christ was about to be raised within a short time in order to come and appear
before the Father with His own body. So that we could have His Body present, He has given us
His own Body and Blood that it might ruin the power of decay. For without the presence of
Christ, salvation from death is not possible and humanity is unable to be freed from sin which
dwells along with us in this life. He dwells with us in our souls through the Holy Spirit, and we
become sharers in holiness, heavenly people and spiritual name bearers...
And on the fifth day of the week, when we had eaten the Passover with Him, and when
Judas had dipped his hand into the dish, and received the sop, and was gone out by night, the
Lord said to us: “The hour is come that you shall be dispersed, and shall leave me alone; “ and
every one vehemently affirming that they would not forsake Him, I Peter adding this promise,
that I would even die with Him, He said, “Assuredly I say unto you, Before the cock crows, you
shall thrice deny that you know Me. ” And when He had delivered to us the representative
mysteries of His precious body and blood, Judas not being present with us, He went out to the
Mount of Olives, near the brook Kedron, where there was a garden; and we were with Him, and
sang an hymn according to the custom....
Constitutions of the Holy Apostles684
682 H.H. Pope Shenouda III, So Many Years with Problems of People, Part I, pp. 92-93.
683 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Fragment 290, AACS v. lb, p. 247.
684 Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Book 5; §3, ANF, v. 7.
Page 333
Pmyer
Who is worthy of Your Incarnation, in the humble manger? Even the cherubim and
seraphim were surprised at this scene, the first scene of Christ the Lord on Earth.
Who is worthy for You to descend and wash his feet? St. Peter tried to prevent
You....but who could resist the will of the Lord. If we did, we would have no fellowship with
You, as You said. For it was Your complete desire to be our servant; even lower than the
servants who were not required to wash the feet of guests. Lord, out of Your love, You desire to
cleanse even the most filthy part of our lives. This is why You came. But truly, who is worthy
of this? In his service, St. Peter could not allow anyone to bow to him, saying “I am just a
man...” but You O Lord were able to do what man couldn’t. You were able to come to our
weakness and sin, lowering Yourself, taking the form of a servant.
Even You bowed to sinners—even Judas! On the same day that he would betray You.
The same day he would reject You as his Lord. Who forced You to do this? You could have
told him to go and do what he had to as You did during the Passover meal, but You waited to
show him the fullness of Your love for him and for all sinners. You tried until the last moment,
You wished for him to come back to You, but he did not respond. You didn’t reject him and tell
him to go away.
Despite all my sin, You never once told me to go away. But every day in Your amazing,
incomprehensible humility, You descend to me and wash my feet—each day, regardless of the
filth. You are not sick of my face. You are not tired from my weakness. But You are always
seeking to be my Master and Lord, through such great work.
Who is worthy of Your Honored Body and Blood—that which the angels desire to look
into; who hover around, declaring, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” That which defeated the devil and all
wickedness; that which shattered the rocks, and conquered all creation.
Who is worthy of all Your words for us? Truly no man ever spoke like this. No man
spoke to us of such great selfishness, sacrifice, sweetness.
Who is worthy of Your prayer? For St. Peter was going to deny the Lord, but You
prayed for him that he would be protected from the devil. You prayed for him that he would not
fall into despair. You prayed for him, even though he rejected You before many people. You
remain faithful—You remain true, just, and loyal. Even though we reject You out of weakness,
You never forget us. You look to our best, whatever we can put forth.
Who is worthy of all this? Truly, Your humility and love is too great for us to
comprehend! You have won us by such humble love. We are Yours, we seek none other than
You. From what You have done, we are Yours forever. We are defeated and our sin is
conquered by Your act of humility. What value do You see in me, such a miserable sinner?
Today, You wash with water; tomorrow with blood. And on the third day, You will
allow me to sit in the heavenly places; to sit with You on Your throne.
But what can I offer to You? If the rest of my life I spend at Your feet, I will not care
about my pride, my honor, or respect. I will rest at Your feet, serving You, worshipping You,
honoring You. Yes, even eternity, I wish to spend there. For it is calm and peaceful. Still the
tears of the Sinful Woman remain; I can still smell the aroma of the perfume placed for Your
burial; I can still see the blood that poured from Your feet for my salvation!
I am not satisfied until I shed my blood for You; then I will be certain of my love for
You. I must lay down my life, take up my cross, and die daily.
Page 334
III The Holy Pascha
C h a p t e r 13
Eve of G rea t Fr id a y
G eth sem ane
Page 335
As we approach the Crucifixion, the number and intensity of the events steadily increase.
This evening’s events include the Last Supper, the Eucharist, our Lord’s final message to His
apostles, His prayer at Gethsemane, Judas’ Betrayal, and the round of trials. In the first hour, we
read four gospels from St. John. For the remainder of the Evening of Friday and Great Friday,
every hour contains four gospel readings, one from each evangelist.
The readings are as follows

g th
HOUR ft 3rd 6th 11th
Theme Christ Speaks Gethsemane Continuous Seizing Christ The Trials
With Us and Prayer Begin
Prays fo r Us
Prophesies Jer. 8:17-9:6 Ezek. 36:16-26 Ezek. 22:23-28 Jer. 9:7-11 Is. 27:11-28:15
Ezek. 21:28-32
Psalm 101:1,7 108:1,2 58:1,68:18; 27:3,4; 34:4 2:1-2; 4-5
Gospel Jn 13:33-14:25 Matt. 26:30-35 Matt. 26:36-46 Matt. 26:47-58 Matt. 26:59-75
Jn 14:26-15:25 Mark 14:26-31 Mark 14:32-41 Mark 14:43-54 Mark 14:55-72
Jn 15:26-16:33 Luke 22:31-39 Luke 22:40-46 Luke 22:47-55 Luke 22:56-65
Jn 17:1-26 John 18:1,2 John 18:3-9 John 18:10-14 John 18:15-27
Page 336
C h rist Speaks W ith Vs a n d Prays f o r Vs

Jeremiah 8:17-9:6 Ps. 101:1,7 John 13:33-17:26
On Thursday evening, after eating of the Last Supper and the Body and Blood, Christ
gives His last discourse to us in the gospel readings (John 14-17). This passage is so powerful
that many Christians in the early church and in the church today memorized these three chapters.
This message is a very special one, for it is only spoken to the disciples and it is only mentioned
in the Gospel of John. In plain language, He speaks to them and announces His departure, recalls
His ministry full of deeds, words, and miracles. He urges them to keep the commandments and
to preserve unity among themselves. And at last, He prays for them.
In the first hour prophesy of Jeremiah, the Lord explains how the sins of His people has
saddened and perplexed Him. He is to the point of tears. This revelation of His saddened love
for us continues throughout the readings of the gospels.
The Psalm of this hour also whispers in our ears the distress of the Lord, where we hear
the Lord cry through David the Prophet, “My enemies have approached me all day long, those
who deride me swear an oath against me. ”
Through this wonderful first hour of the evening of Great Friday, the Church reads from
Gospel According to St. John (13:33- 17:26). This is the only time in the entire year that four
gospel readings are read consecutively from the same evangelist! It is perhaps the longest
continuous message of Christ mentioned in all of the gospels—even longer than the Sermon on
the Mount. For this was not just a sermon, but a private lesson to His disciples. Even more, these
passages contain the longest and most personal prayer from Blessed Son to the Heavenly Father.
Here, He prays for us personally that we my not fall into sin and that we stay strong in the
coming time of trouble and danger. We also see the Lord referring to Himself as Messiah, or the
“Christ” directly (John 17:3). The final three words of this gospel reading, “I in t h e m speaks
of His desire for our every believer. As if it is His final request that each soul unites with Him in
glory, righteousness, and salvation through the offering of His Body and Blood on our behalf.
The exposition, as well, is wholly dedicated on this passage, and even begins by
repeating part of Christ’s prayer for us. Truly, this passage is one of the very special moments of
the entire week. May we listen carefully and swim in the sea of His love during these readings.
To prepare us for this message of love, the church adds the words “The Lord is My
strength, my praise and has be come my salvation ” to the Paschal hymn “Thine is the power ”
(Thok te ti gom). This is another reminder that the Lord is preparing Himself and us for the
Crucifixion. This is first mentioned in the Song of Moses after crossing the Red Sea (Ex. 15:2).
It is also quoted in Isaiah 12:2 and by David in Psalm 119:14. Thus, the same God who
delivered Moses and the Israelites will deliver the prophet from time of trouble. In the psalms,
this verse appears a few verses before the declaration of the Resurrection, which we use in the
Resurrection play, “Open to me the gates o f righteousness, I will go through them...” (Psalm
119:19) Thus the church uses one to commemorate the crossing of the Red Sea, a type of the
Crucifixion; and the salvation of the Lord through His Resurrection.
J e r e m i a h 8s l 7 ~9 s 6
“For behold, I will send serpents among you, Vipers which cannot be charmed, And they shall bite you,”
says the L o r d .
1^1 Would comfort myself in sorrow; My heart is faint in me. ^Listen! The voice, The cry of the
daughter of my people From a far country: “Is not the L o r d in Zion? Is not her King in her?”
Page 337
“Why have they provoked Me to anger With their carved images—With foreign idols?” ^ ’’The harvest is
past, The summer is ended, And we are not saved!”
For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning; Astonishment has taken hold of me.
there no balm in Gilead, Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery For the health of the
daughter of my people?
^ O h , that my head were waters, And my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night
For the slain of the daughter of my people! ôh, that I had in the wilderness A lodging place for travelers; That I
might leave my people, And go from them! For they are all adulterers, An assembly of treacherous men.
3”And like their bow they have bent their tongues for lies. They are not valiant for the truth on the earth. For
they proceed from evil to evil, And they do not know Me,” says the L o rd . ^’’Everyone take heed to his neighbor,
And do not trust any brother; For every brother will utterly supplant, And every neighbor will walk with slanderers.
Êveryone will deceive his neighbor, And will not speak the truth; They have taught their tongue to speak lies; They
weary themselves to commit iniquity. ^Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit; Through deceit they refuse
to know Me,” says the L o rd .
I weep day and night for the people, who were led to perdition through wicke
teachings. The ears of the simple have gone astray, and have got used to hear the heretic evils.
St. Basil
Now is the right time for me to utter these words; Yes, and even more so, than in the
days of the prophet. If I do not lament for many cities, or for all nations; yet I grieve for a soul
that parallels several nations, and is even more valuable. I am not grieving for the devastation of
a city, nor for its captivation by the wicked; but for the devastation of your Holy Spirit...; and
the destruction and the demolition of the temple that carries the Lord Christ... This temple is
holier than that one (the temple of the Old Testament); it does not glitter with gold or silver, but
by the grace of the Holy Spirit; and instead of having in it the ark of the covenant and the two
images of the cherubim, in the heart there are the Lord Christ, His Father, and the Paraclete.
St. John Chrysostom
In this sense, the prophet talks to the ministers of the church, calling them its walls and
towers; saying to each of them, “O wall, let tears run down like a river” (Lamentations 2: 18)...
Do not cry for the dead, and do not lament on him; but cry, cry, on him who departs; as he is not
coming back to see the land of his birth.
St. Jerome
Who can provide me with a fountain of tears, to mourn my deeds and my days? I am in
need of a river of tears to cry for the harsh strikes that I deserve, for the sake of a life that I spent
in sin! Break up, O Jesus, the stone that is my heart, to soften my inner man, and to create in him
a fountain of deity!
St. Polinus, Bishop of Nola
In extreme gentility, the prophet Jeremiah carried the iniquities of his people in his heart,
in his thoughts, and all his feelings; to create in him an incessant fountain of tears, and bitter
inner moans. In this he was a symbol of the Lord Christ, the suffering Servant, who carried our
sorrows; yet with great difference between the two: Jeremiah, with a true love, bore them to a
certain limit; then in almost despair, he sought to flee to the wilderness, away from everyone, to
weep and moan! Our Lord Christ, on the other hand, carried our sorrows and sufferings, and did
not seek to flee; but He went down to the wilderness of our life, to stay in our midst, and to bear
Page 338
on His shoulders every soul that could repent and return to Him; saying: “/ am with you always,
even to the end o f the age ” (Matt. 28: 20). He descended to our world, and dwelt among us as
one of us; And when He ascended to heaven, He did not forsake us, but carried us to let us share
His glories.
Let us carry the Spirit of the Lord Christ; Let us covet to be among the people —however
their iniquities are - to bear their sufferings, and to weep for their weaknesses; seeking through
the assurance of faith, and the strength of hope, the work of the Holy Spirit in them. I wish we
never flee from the road of the cross, and never fear the sufferings.
He rebukes them for their evil and lies, as well as their wicked deeds; running from evil
to evil. Yet the reason why he accused them, is that they are unrighteous; that they do not know
the Lord; and they are unfaithful.
St. Athanasius the Apostolic
Psalm
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the L o r d . My
enemies reproach me all day long, Those who deride me swear an oath against me.
“Hear my prayer, O Lord,” is the same as, “Let my crying come unto You:” the feeling
of the suppliant is shown by the repetition. “Turn not Your face away from me.” When did God
turn away His Face from His Son? when did the Father turn away His Face from Christ? But for
the sake of the poverty of my members.
With their mouth they praised, in their heart they were laying snares for me. Hear their
praise: “Master, we know that You are true, and teach the way o f God in truth, neither do You
care for any man. Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? ” And whence this evil repute,
except because I came to make sinners my members, that by repentance they may be in my
body? Thence is all the abuse, thence the persecution. “ Why does your Master eat with publicans
and sinners? They that be whole need not a physician, but they that be sick. ” Would that you
were aware of your sickness, that you might seek a physician; you would not slay Him, and
through your infatuated pride perish in a false health.
St. Augustine686
John 1 3 ? 3 3 - 1 4 j 25
Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am
going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. ^Â new commandment I give to you, that you love one another;
as I have loved you, that you also love one another. -^By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have
love for one another.”
36simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you
cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” ^Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You
now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” ^ J e s u s answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake?
Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
1’’Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. În My Father’s house are many
mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4And where I go you
know, and the way you know.” ^Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we
685 Fr. Tadros Malaty, A Patristic Commentary on Jeremiah.

Page 339
know the way?” ^Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through Me.
7”If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen
Him.” ^Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” ^Jesus said to him, “Have I been
with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you
say, ‘Show us the Father’? l^Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I
speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 1*Believe Me
that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
12”Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works
than these he will do, because I go to My Father. lÂnd whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father
may be glorified in the Son. ^ If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
*5”lf you love Me, keep My commandments. 16A n d i wm pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper,
that He may abide with you forever-- l^the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees
Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. ^1 will not leave you orphans;
I will come to you.
19”A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live
also. 20At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21He who has My
commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will
love him and manifest Myself to him.” 22ju(jas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest
Yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My
word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 2 4 j w h o does not
love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not My but the Father’s who sent Me. 25”xhese
things I have spoken to you while being present with you.
John, from whose Gospel I have taken the passage introduced above, is not the only
evangelist who details this incident of the prophetic announcement of his own denial to Peter.
The other three also record the same thing. They do not, however, take one and the same
particular point in the discourses [of Christ] as their occasion for proceeding to this narration.
For Matthew and Mark both introduce it in a completely parallel order, and at the same stage of
their narrative, namely, after the Lord left the house in which they had eaten the Passover; while
Luke and John, on the other hand, bring it in before He left that scene. Still we might easily
suppose, either that it has been inserted in the way of a recapitulation by the one couple of
evangelists, or that it has been inserted in the way of an anticipation by the other; only such a
supposition may be made more doubtful by the circumstance that there is so remarkable a
diversity, not only in the Lord’s words, but even in those sentiments of His by which the incident
in question is introduced, and by which Peter was moved to venture his presumptuous
asseveration that he would die with the Lord or for the Lord...
St. Augustine687
J OHN 1 4 : 2 6 - 1 5 : 2 5
26fiut the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring
to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27peace i leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world
gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 2&You have heard Me say to you, ‘I
am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the
Father,’ for My Father is greater than I. 2Ând now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass,
you may believe. -^1 will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in
687 St. Augustine, Harmony of the Gospels, Book 2, Ch. 3, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6.

Me. 31But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise,
let us go from here.
15:l”i am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Êvery branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes
away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that itmay bear more fruit. ^You are already clean because of the
word which I have spoken to you. 4Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it
abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ^1 am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in
Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Îf anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast
out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. Îf you
abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ^By this My
Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
9”As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ^ If you keep My commandments, you will
abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. ^These things I have
spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ^This is My commandment, that you
love one another as I have loved you. ^Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. ^N o longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not
know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made
known to you. ^Y ou did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and
that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. ^These things I
command you, that you love one another.
18”if the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ^ If you were of the world, the world
would love its own. Yet because you are not o f" the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world
hates you. ^ R em em b er the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me,
they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ^But all these things they will do to
you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. ^ I f I had not come and spoken to them, they
would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. ^ H e who hates Me hates My Father also. ^ I f I had
not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also
hated both Me and My Father. 2^But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law,
'They hated Me without a cause. ’
The disciples did not yet know what this resurrection was which He had foretold, when
He said, “ I go away, and I come unto you...”: now what they were to think of it. The Father,
they knew, was mighty. So He says to them, “Although you fear for me, that I cannot defend
Myself, and you are not certain that I shall see you again after My Crucifixion, yet, at hearing
that I go to the Father you should rejoice since I am going to One Who is greater than Me, and
able to scatter all such tribulations. All this He said because of the timidity of the
disciples... Because they were troubled at hearing of the hatred and strife they would meet when
He was gone, He again comforts them by saying, “Peace I leave with you.
J ohn 15: 2 6 - 1 6 : 3 3
26”But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from
the Father, He will testify of Me. 27And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the
beginning.
16:1 ’’These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. ^They will put you out of the
synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. Ând these things
they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. ^But these things I have told you, that when the
688 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on John, FC v. 28.
Page 341
time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning,
because I was with you.
5”But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ ^But because I
have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. ^Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage
that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. Ând
when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ôf sin, because
they do not believe in Me; ô f righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ^ ofjudgment,
because the ruler of this world is judged. ^1 still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear themnow.
^However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His
own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. l^He win glorify Me, for
He will take of what is My and declare it to you. ^ A ll things that the Father has are My. Therefore I said
that He will take of My and declare it to you.
16”A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the
Father.” l^Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and
you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” l^They said
therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.” l^Now Jesus knew that
they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little
while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? ^Most assuredly, I say to you that
you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into
joy. Îa woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given
birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the
world. ^Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one
will take from you. 23And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the
Father in My name He will give you. 24until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive,
that your joy may be full.
25”These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak
to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father, ^ln that day you will ask in My name, and
I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27f0r the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved
Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28j came forth from the Father and have come into the world.
Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.” 29fjis disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and
using no figure of speech! ^N o w we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should
question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
32indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me
alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. ^xhese things I have spoken to you, that in Me you
may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
[v.8] The righteousness of Christ’s disciples consisted in this, that they believed that the
Lord, Whom they discerned was a true human being, was also the true Son of God, and that they
worshipped always with a definite love the one Whom they knew had been taken away bodily
from them. The righteousness of other believers—that is, of those who have not seen the Lord
in His human body—consists in this, that with their hearts they believe and love Him Whom
they have never seen with their bodily vision as true God and Man. Unbelievers are convicted of
this righteousness, which arises from faith ...for when they hear the word of life in like manner
with unbelievers, they are unwilling to believe in a way which leads to righteousness...
[v. 14] The Spirit honored Christ because through Him such great love was enkindled in
the hearts of the disciples that they cast aside fleshy fear and resolutely preached the effect of the
Resurrection of Him Whom they fearfully fled at the time of His Passion. The Spirit honored
Page 342
Christ when holy teachers, filled with spiritual grace, worked so many and great miracles in
Christ’s name. The spirit honors Christ when by His inspiration He enkindles in us a love of the
vision of Him, and when He impressed upon the hearts of the faithful that He is to be believed
equal to the Father in His divinity. ..
[v. 21] He refers to the holy Church as a woman [in labor] on account of her fruitfulness
in good works, and because she never ceases to beget spiritual children for God...As long as the
holy Church devotes herself to he progress of spiritual virtues in the world, she never ceases
being harassed by the world’s temptations. But when she arrives at her reward, after triumphing
in the struggle of her labors, she no longer remembers the distress that preceded it on account of
the joy from the recompense that she has received. Just as a woman is glad when a human being
has been bom into the world, so the Church is filled with fitting exaltation when a multitude of
the faithful are bom into the life to come.
J ohn 17;1-2 6
1Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son,
that Your Son also may glorify You, âs You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal
life to as many as You have given Him. Ând this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and
Jesus Christ whom You have sent. have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have
given Me to do. Ând now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before
the world was.
6”I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours,
You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7Now they have known that all things which You have
given Me are from You. % or I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received
them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. ^1 pray for
them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. ^ A n d all My are
Yours, and Yours are My, and I am glorified in them. 1*Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world,
and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as
We are. ^W hile I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept;
and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. ^ B u t now I come to
You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. ^ 1 have given them
Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ^ 1 do not
pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. ^T h ey are not of
the world, just as I am not of the world. ^^Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. ^ A s You sent Me into
the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be
sanctified by the truth.
20”I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ^ th a t they all may
be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that
You sent Me. 22And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: ^ 1
in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me,
and have loved them as You have loved Me. ^Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me
where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of
the world. righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that
You sent Me. ^ A n d I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me
may be in them, and I in them.”
689 Bede the Venerable, Homily 2.1, After Pascha, Homilies on the Gospels, Book 2, pp. 101, 104, 120, 121.
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church 4 The Holy Pascha
For my sake He was called a curse who destroyed my curse, and sin who takes away the
sin of the world, and became a new Adam to take the place of the old. So He makes my
disobedience His own as head of the whole body. Then as long as I am disobedient and
rebellious, both by denial of God and by my passions, so long Christ also is called disobedient on
my account.. .according to my view, this is the subjection of Christ to fulfill of the Father’s will.
But as the Son subjects all to the Father, so does the Father to the Son, the one by His work, the
other by His good pleasure...making our condition His own. Of the same kind...is the
expression, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? ” It was not He who was forsaken
either by the Father or by His own Godhead...but He was in His own person representing
us. Before, we were the forsaken and despised; now, by His sufferings...we were taken up
and saved...For in His character of the Word He was neither obedient nor disobedient... But in
the form of a servant, He condescends to His fellow servants, nay, to His servants, and takes
upon Him a strange form, bearing all me and my in Himself, that in Himself He may exhaust the
bad... by the art of His love for man He gauges our obedience, and measures all by comparison
with His own sufferings, so that He may know our condition by His own, and how much is
demanded of us, and how much we yield, taking into account, along with our environment, our
weakness also... ’’Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me . .It is not likely that He did
not know whether it was possible or not, or that He would oppose will to will...this is the
language of Him Who assumed our nature.
690 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Fourth Theological Oration, 5, 6, 12, NPNF, s. 2, v.7, p. 602.
Page 344
The G a r d e n of G e t h se m a n e
Ezek. 36:16-26; Ps. 108:1,2; Matt. 26:30-35, Mark 14:26-31, Luke 22:31-39; John 18:1,2
Gethsemane is the Aramaic word for “oil press.” It is a garden east of Jerusalem beyond
the Kidron valley and near the Mount of Olives (Mt. 26:30). Christ often retreated with His
disciples in the garden. It was the place where Christ met the Father, where man betrays God.
In the first garden, the Garden of Eden, Adam fell to temptation. But in the Second
Garden (of Gethsemane), the Second Adam prevailed over temptation. Such power is only given
through prayer and submission to God’s will. The First Adam was cast out of the Garden and
kept out by an angel; God sent an angel to strengthen and comfort the Second Adam in
Gethsemane (Luke 22:43-44).
As we chant in the Friday Theotokia of the Holy Psalmody, “He took what is ours and
gave us what is His. ” And as St. Athanasius says, “He became like man so that man can become
like God.” So, He became human to take upon Himself our sin; so that we could take for us His
holiness. This exchange takes place through the Cross.
During the first prophesy of Ezekiel we read first that the Lord will “pour out” His fury
on them for their bloodshed and defilement, and He shall “sprinkle” clean water upon them.
Thus, blood and water are poured out to save His people. Consequently, He provides for us a
new heart. Although the last two verses of this prophesy were read during the blessing of the
water, in this hour we focus on the blood shed on the land.
As Christ and the disciples did not journey to Gethsemane before “singing a hymn,” so
too the Church does not progress without chanting the paschal hymns. Christ had warned the
disciples they would betray Him and take offense to Him. Around the same time, Judas plotted
with the Jews seeking to capture and kill Christ. In remembrance of such talk, a prophetic psalm
is read: “They have surrounded me with words o f hatred, and fought against me without a
cause. ” (Psalm 109: 1, 3) This psalm is the most violent of the “cursing” psalms which explains
the cruelty of the Lord’s adversaries.
E z e k i e l 36*16-26
Moreover the word of the L o r d came to me, saying: ^ ”Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in
their own land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds; to Me their way was like the uncleanness of a woman in
her customary impurity. ^Therefore I poured out My fury on them for the blood they had shed on the land,
and for their idols with which they had defiled it. ^S o I scattered them among the nations, and they were
Page 345
dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds. ^W h e n they came to the
nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the
L o r d , and yet they have gone out of His land.’ ^ B u t I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel
had profaned among the nations wherever they went.
^ ’’Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord G od: “I do not do this for your sake, O house
of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. ^ A n d I
will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst;
and the nations shall know that I am the L o r d ,” says the L ord G o d , “w hen I am hallow ed in you before their
eyes. ^ F o r I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own
land. ^ T h e n I w ill sprinkle clean w ater on you, and you shall be clean; I w ill cleanse you from all your
filthiness and from all your idols, w ill give you a new heart and p u t a new spirit w ithin you; I w ill take the
heart o f stone out o f your flesh and give you a heart o f flesh.
When Scripture, having up to a certain point been speaking about the species, makes a
transition at that point from the species to the genus, the reader must then be carefully on his
guard against seeking in the species what he can find much better and more surely in the genus.
Take, for example, what the prophet Ezekiel says: “When the house o f Israel dwelt in
their own land, they defiled it by their own way, and by their doings: their way was before me as
the uncleanness o f a removed woman. Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that
they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: and I scattered
them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way,
and according to their doings, I judged them. ” Now it is easy to understand that this applies to
that house of Israel of which the apostle says, “Behold Israel after the flesh;” [1 Cor. 10:18]
because the people of Israel after the flesh did both perform and endure all that is here referred
to. What immediately follows, too, may be understood as applying to the same people. But when
the prophet begins to say, “And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the
heathen, which you have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the
Lord, ” [Ezek. 36:23] the reader should now carefully to observe the way in which the species is
overstepped and the genus taken in. For he goes on to say: uAnd I shall be sanctified in you
before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out o f all
countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you>
and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A
new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the
stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you a heart offlesh. And I will put y Spirit within
you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my commandments, and do them.
And you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and you shall be my people, and I will
be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses. ” [Ezek. 36:23-29]
Now that this is a prophecy of the New Testament, to which pertain not only the remnant
of that one nation of which it is elsewhere said, “For though the number o f the children o f Israel
be as the sand o f the sea, yet a remnant o f them shall be saved,” [Is. 10:22] but also the other
nations which were promised to their fathers and our fathers; and that there is here a promise of
that washing of regeneration which, as we see, is now imparted to all nations, no one who looks
into the matter can doubt. And that saying of the apostle, when he is commending the grace of
the New Testament and its excellence in comparison with the Old, “You are our epistle . . .
written not with ink, but with the Spirit o f the living God; not in tables o f stone, but in fleshy
tables o f the heart, ” [2 Cor. 2:2-3] has an evident reference to this place where the prophet says,
“Anew heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the
stony heart out o f your flesh, and I will give you an heart offlesh. ” [Ezek. 38:26] Now “the
Page 346
fleshy tables o f the heart, ” is drawn, the prophet intended to point out as distinguished from the
stony heart by the possession of sentient life; and by sentient he understood intelligent life. And
thus the spiritual Israel is made up, not of one nation, but of all the nations which were promised
to the fathers in their seed, that is, in Christ.
St. Augustine691
Psalm 10 8 : 1 , 2 .
Do not keep silent, O God of my praise! For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful Have
opened against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
He was betrayed by those whom He called His disciples.. .For he that betrayed Him gave
to the multitude that came to apprehend Jesus, a sign, saying, “Whomever I shall kiss, it is he;
seize you him, retaining still some element of respect for his Master: for unless he had done
so, he would have betrayed Him, even publicly, without any pretence of affection. This
circumstance, therefore, will satisfy all with regard to the purpose of Judas, that along with his
covetous disposition, and his wicked design to betray his Master, he had still a feeling of a mixed
character in his mind, produced in him by the words of Jesus, which had the appearance (so to
speak) of some remnant of good. For it is related that, “when Judas, who betrayed Him, knew
that He was condemned, he repented, and brought back the thirty pieces o f silver to the high
priest and elders, saying, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. But they said,
What is that to us? see you to that; “ [Matt. 27:3-5]—and that, having thrown the money down
in the temple, he departed, and went and hanged himself.
But if this covetous Judas, who also stole the money placed in the bag for the relief of the
poor, repented, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, it is
clear that the instructions of Jesus had been able to produce some feeling of repentance in his
mind, and were not altogether despised and loathed by this traitor. No, the declaration, “I have
sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood, ” was a public acknowledgment of his crime.
Observe, also, how exceedingly passionate was the sorrow for his sins that proceeded from that
repentance, and which would not suffer him any longer to live; and how, after he had cast the
money down in the temple, he withdrew, and went away and hanged himself: for he passed
sentence upon himself, showing what a power the teaching of Jesus had over this sinner Judas,
this thief and traitor, who could not always treat with contempt what he had learned from Jesus...
Will Celsus and his friends now say that those proofs which show that the apostasy of
Judas was not a complete apostasy, even after his attempts against his Master, are inventions, and
that this alone is true, viz., that one of His disciples betrayed Him; and will they add to the
Scriptural account that he betrayed Him also with his whole heart? To act in this spirit of
hostility with the same writings, both as to what we are to believe and what we are not to believe,
is absurd. And if we must make a statement regarding Judas which may overwhelm our
opponents with shame, we would say that, in the book of Psalms, all of Psalm 108 contains a
prophecy about Judas, the beginning of which is this: “O God, hold not Your peace before
my praise; for the mouth of the sinner\ and the mouth o f the crafty man, are opened against
me. ” And it is predicted in this psalm, both that Judas separated himself from the number
of the apostles on account of his sins, and that another was selected in his place; and this is
shown by the words: “Andhis bishopric let another t a k e .[Ps. 108:8] But suppose now that He
had been betrayed by some one of His disciples, who was possessed by a worse spirit than Judas,
and who had completely poured out, as it were, all the words which he had heard from Jesus,
691 St. Augustine, On Christian Doctrine, Book 3, NPNF, s. 1, v. 2
Page 347
what would this contribute to an accusation against Jesus or the Christian religion? And how will
this demonstrate its doctrine to be false? We have replied in the preceding chapter to the
statements which follow this, showing that Jesus was not taken prisoner when attempting to flee,
but that He gave Himself up voluntarily for the sake of us all. Whence it follows, that even if He
were bound, He was bound agreeably to His own will; thus teaching us the lesson that we should
undertake similar things for the sake of religion in no spirit of unwillingness.
Matthew 2 6 : 3 0 - 3 5
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Îjhen Jesus said to them, “All of
you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 7 will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep o f
the flock will be scattered.’ ^ B u t after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33Peter answered and
said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” ^Jesus said to him,
“Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” ^Peter said to
Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.
Mark 1 4 : 2 6 - 3 1
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus said to them, “All of
you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 7 will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will
be scattered. ’ 28”But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” ^9peter said to Him, “Even if all are
made to stumble, yet I will not be. ” ^ J e s u s said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before
the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” ^But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with
You, I will not deny You!” And they all said likewise.
L u k e 2 2:3 U 3 9
And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. -^Biit I
have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
^^But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” ^Then He said, “I tell you,
Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”
35And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack
anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” ^Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it,
and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37por i Say to you that this
which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things
concerning Me have an end.” -^So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is
enough.”
^Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed
Him.
J o h n 18: 1 *2
When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there
was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus
often met there with His disciples.
He Prepares Them
And then they said to them, “you will all fall away because o f Me. ” After this He
mentions a prophesy: “For it is written, 7 will strike the shepherd, and the sheep o f the flock will
be scattered. He was urging them to be attentive to what has been prophetically predicted of
His death and Resurrection and at the same time He wanted to make it plan that He was indeed
Page 348
crucified according to God’s purpose. All of this was to show that He was no alien from the Old
Covenant or from the God who preached it. What was done in the Old Testament was a
dispensation. All of the prophets proclaimed all things beforehand from the beginning that are
included in this salvation event. All this was to increase faith.
And he teaches us to know what the disciples were before the crucifixion and what they
did after the crucifixion. For indeed they who were not able so much as to stand their ground
when He was crucified, after His death became mighty and stronger than adamant.
Death is an awful thing, very full of terror, but not to those who have learned the true
wisdom which is above. For he that knows nothing certain concerning things to come, but
deems it to be a certain dissolution and end of life, with reason shudders and is afraid, as though
he were passing into non-existence. But we who, by the grace of God, have learnt the hidden and
secret things of His wisdom, and deem the action to be a departure to another place, should have
no reason to tremble, but rather to rejoice and be glad, that leaving this perishable life we go to
one far better and brighter, and which has no end. Which Christ teaching by His actions, goes to
His Passion, not by constraint and necessity, but willingly. “These things,” it said, “Jesus spoke,
and departed ‘beyond the brook Kedron, where was a garden, into the which He entered, and His
disciples.’”...
He journeyed at midnight, crossed a river, and hastened to come to a place known to the
traitor, lessening the labor to those who plotted against Him, and freeing them from all trouble;
and showed to the disciples that He came willingly to the action, (a thing which was most of all
sufficient to comfort them,) and placed Himself in the garden as in a prison.
"These things Jesus spoke to them. ” “What do you say? Surely He was speaking with the
Father, surely He was praying. Why then do you not say that, ‘having ceased from the prayer,’
He came there?” Because it was not prayer, but a speech made on account of the disciples.
“And the disciples entered into the garden. ” He had so freed them from fear that they no
longer resisted, but entered with Him into the garden. But how came Judas there, or whence had
he gained his information when he came? It is evident from this circumstance, that Jesus
generally passed the night out of doors. For had He been in the habit of spending it at home,
Judas would not have come to the desert, but to the house, expecting there to find Him asleep.
And lest, hearing of a “garden,” you should think that Jesus hid Himself, it adds, that “Judas
knew the place”; and not simply so, but that He “often went there with His disciples. ” For He
was often with them apart, conversing on necessary matters, and such as it was not permitted to
others to hear. And He did this especially in mountains and gardens, seeking a place free from
disturbance, that their attention might not be distracted from listening.
Peter’s Denial (Luke)
God teaches us that we must think humbly of ourselves, as being nothing, both as regards
the nature of man and the readiness of our mind to fall away into sin, and a strengthened and
being what we are only through Him and of Him. if, therefore it is from Him that we borrow
both our salvation and our seeming to be something in virtue and piety, what reason do we have
for proud thoughts? For wall we have is from Him and of ourselves we have nothing. “For who
693 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 82.2 on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10.

694 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 83, NPNF, s. 1. v. 14.
Page 349
makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive?” [1 Cor. 4:7]
This is what the wise Paul said, and further the blessed David also at one time says, “Through
God we will do valiantly, ” [Psalm 59:12] and “Our God is our refuge and strength, ” [Psalm
46:1] and the prophet Jeremiah has said, “O Lord, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the
day o f affliction. ” [Jer. 16:19] And the blessed Paul also may be brought forward, who says with
great clearness, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ” [Philip. 4:13] Yes,
Christ Himself also somewhere says unto us, “Without Me you can do nothing. ” [John 15:5]
Let us, then not glory in ourselves, but rather in His gifts. And if this is the state of
anyone’s mind, what place can the desire of being set above other men find in him, when thus we
are all both partakers of the same one grace, and also have the same Lord of Hoses as the Giver
of both of tendency to arrogance, and to repress ambitious feelings, Christ shows that even he
who seemed to be great is nothing and weak. Therefore, He passes by the other disciples and
turns to him who is the foremost and set at the head of the company, and says, “Satan has asked
for you, that he may sift you as wheat”; that is to search and try you, and expose you to
intolerable blows. For it is Satan’s desire to attack men of more ordinary excellence, and, like
some fierce and arrogant barbarian, he challenges to single combat those of chief repute in the
ways of piety . So he challenged Job, but was defeated by his patience, and the boaster fell, being
defeated by the endurance of that triumphant hero. But he makes human nature his prey, for it is
weak, and easy to be overcome. While he is harsh and pitiless and unappeasable in heart. For,
as the sacred Scripture says of him, “His heart is as hard as stone, Even as hard as the lower
millstone. ” [Job 41:24] Yet he is placed under the feet of the saints by Christ’s might; for He has
said, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the
power o f the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt y o u [Luke 10:19] Therefore He says,
“Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your
faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren. ”
See again, He humbles Himself unto us, and speaks according to the limit’s of man’s
estate, and yet He is God by nature, even though He became flesh. For though He is the power
of the Father, by Whom all things are preserved, and from Whom they obtain the ability to
continue in necessary, yes necessary, for Him Who, for the dispensation’s sake became like unto
us, to use also our words, when the occasion called Him thereto in accordance with what the
dispensation itself required. Therefore He says, “I have prayed for you, that your faith should not
fail. ” Now by this then He shows that if [Simon Peter] had been yielded up to Satan to be
tempted, he would have proved altogether unfaithful; since, even when not so yielded up, he
proved weak from human feebleness, being unable to bear the fear of death. For he denied
Christ, when a young girl troubled him in the high priest’s palace by saying, “You are not also
one o f this Man’s disciples, are you? ” [John 18:17].
The Savior then forewarned him what would have been the result if he was yielded over
to Satan’s temptation; but at the same time He offers him the word of consolation, and says, “and
when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren, ” that is to be the support, and
instructor and teacher of those who draw near unto Me by faith. Moreover, admire the beautiful
skill of the passage, and the surpassing greatness of the divine gentleness! For, lest his
impending fall should lead the disciples to desperation, as though he would be expelled from the
glories of apostleship, and former following (of Christ) lose its reward, because of his proving
unable to bear the fear of death, and denying Him, at once Christ fills him with good hope and
grants him the blessings, and gather the fruits of steadfastness. For He says, “And when you have
returned to Me, strengthen your brethren, ”
O what great and incomparable kindness! The disciple had not yet sickened with
the malady of faithlessness and already he has received the medicine of forgiveness; not yet
Page 350
had the sin been committed, and he receives pardon; not yet had he fallen, and the saving
hand is held out; not yet had he faltered, and he is confirmed; for He says, “when you have
returned to Me, strengthen your brethren. ” [The authority to say this] belongs to One Who
pardons, and restores him again to apostolic powers.
But Peter, in the passion of his zeal, made profession of steadfastness and endurance to
the last extremity, saying that he would manfully resist the terrors of death, and count nothing
bonds; but in so doing he erred from what was right. When the Savior told him that he would
prove weak, he should not have contradicted Him, loudly protesting the contrary; for the Truth
could not lie; but rather he should have asked strength from Him, that either he might not suffer
this, or be rescued immediately from harm. But, as I have already said, being fervent in spirit
and warm in love towards Christ, and of unrestrainable zeal in rightly performing those duties
which become a disciple in his attendance upon his Master, he declares that he will endure to the
last extremity; but he was rebuked for foolishly speaking against what was foreknown, and for
his unreasonable haste in contradicting the Savior’s words, for this reason He says, “I tell you,
Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me. ”
And this proved true. Therefore, let us not think highly of ourselves, even if we see ourselves
greatly distinguished for our virtues; rather let us offer up the praises of our thanksgivings unto
Christ Who redeems us, and Who also grants us even the desire to be able to act rightly; but
Whom and with Whom to God the Father be praise and dominion, with the Holy Spirit, unto
ages of ages. Amen.
Out of twelve deserted; eleven remained loyal. The cross came; they fled; one
remained—Peter, one with One. This one himself fled, and would that he had! He denied
Christ. We may say, then, that the entire human race was lost. Because it had perished, the
complaint of the Lord crucified is: “The wine press I have trodden alone, and o f my people there
was no one with me. ” [Is. 63:3]. Then the Psalm was fulfilled, “Help, O Lord! For no one now is
dutiful. ” [Ps. 12:1-2]. “There is none who does good, no not even one.” [Ps. 14:1-3; Rom. 3:12].
He who has promised, “Even if I should have to die with You, or be imprisoned, I will not deny
You” [Matt. 26:35; Mark 14:31] denied Him.
St. Jerome696
Why do they have swords?

The swords were brought from the supper, and from the table. It was likely also there
should be swords because of the lamb, and that the disciples, hearing that certain were coming
forth against Him, took them for defense, as meaning to fight in behalf of their Master, which
was of their thought only. Therefore Peter is also rebuked for using it, and with a severe threat.
For he was resisting the servant who came, warmly indeed, yet not defending himself, but doing
this on behalf of his Master.
Christ however did not allow any harm to result. For He healed him, and showed forth a
great miracle, enough to indicate at once both His forbearance and His power, and the affection
and meekness of His disciple. For then he acted from affection, now with dutifulness. For when
he heard, “Put your sword into its sheath, ” he immediately obeyed, and afterwards nowhere
does this.
695 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 145 on Luke, CS, pp. 575-577.
696 St. Jerome, Homily 54 On the Psalms, FC, v. 48, p. 390.
Page 351
But another says, that they moreover asked, “Shall we smite?” but that He for-bad it, and
healed the man, and rebuked His disciple, and threatened, that He might move him to obedience.
“For all they that take the sword, ” He said, “shall perish by the sword. ”
And He adds a reason, saying, “Do you not think that I cannot pray to my Father, and He
shall presently give me more than twelve legions o f angels? But that the Scriptures might be
fulfilled. ” By these words He quenched their anger, indicating that to the Scriptures also, this
seemed good. Wherefore there too He prayed, that they might take meekly what befell Him,
when they had learnt that this again is done according to God’s will. By these two things, He
comforted them, both by the punishment of them that are plotting against Him, “For all they,” He
said, “that take the sword shall perish with the sword; ” and by His not undergoing these things
against His will, “For I can pray, ” He said, “to my Father. ”
Therefore did He not say, “Think you that I cannot destroy them all?” Because He was
more likely to be believed in saying what He did say; for not yet had they the right belief
concerning Him. And a little while before He had said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful even
unto death,” and, “Father, let the cup pass from me;” and He had appeared in an agony and
sweating, and strengthened by an angel.
Since then He had shown forth many tokens of human nature, He did not seem likely to
speak so as to be believed, if He had said, “Think you that I cannot destroy them. ” Therefore He
says, “What, think you that I cannot pray to my Father? ” And again He speaks it humbly, in
saying, “He will presently give me twelve legions o f angels. ” For if one angel slew one hundred
and eighty-five armed thousands, what need of twelve legions against a thousand men? But He
frames His language with a view to their terror and weakness, for indeed they were dead with
fear. Wherefore also He brings against them the Scriptures, saying, “How then shall the
Scriptures be fulfilled? ” alarming them by this also. For if this be approved by the Scriptures, do
you oppose and fight against them?...
Sow why did they have swords? Because He had said to them, “Let him by a sword. ”
Yet this was not meant that they should arm themselves, far form it, but to indicate that He was
going to be betrayed. The swords indicate that He was to be betrayed. The swords had a
prophetic rather than a military purpose. They indicated his being forcefully seized and betrayed.
Why tell me to buy a sword?...a spiritual sword so that you may sell your inheritance, and
purchase the Word [Matt. 13:44-46], whereby the innermost parts of the mind are clothed. There
is also the sword of offering, so that you may lay aside the body, and with the coverings of the
sacrificed flesh, the crown of holy martyrdom may be brought for you. finally, that you my
know He spoke of suffering, lest He distress the spirits of His disciples, He offered an example
concerning Himself [Luke 22:37] Yet it is still inspired; and the disciples offered two swords,
perhaps, indeed, one of the New, one of the Old Testament, with which were are armed against
he deceits of the devil [Eph. 6:11]. Then the Lord says, “It is enough. ” As if nothing is lacking
to him whom the teaching of each Testament has fortified.”
St. Ambrose698
The Lord says this, not in fact that they use weapons, but to hint to them of dangers and
wars to come, and to tech them to prepare themselves for every eventuality.
697 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, Homily 84.1-2, NPNF, s. 1 v. 10, pp. 501-503.
698 St. Ambrose, Exposition, Book 10, §§54-55, Orthodox New Testament
699 The Blessed Theophylact, PG 123:473C, (col. 1077), ONT, v. 1.
Page 352
“Lord, where me You going?”
This was the request of the disciples. Stay with us, Lord. I can not stay with you for I am
traveling today. Where are you going, Lord? I am going to the Cross, then to Hades to free man
from sin. Then, I will return to you for a while, but I cannot stay. I will ascend to the right hand
of the Father. But do not despair, I will send you the Comforter, until My Second Coming.
Even though, Lord You traveled to all these places on earth, in Hades, and in Heaven, O
Lord You made it all a heaven, for in Your presence, we only dwell in the peace, love and joy in
the heavenly places. For Lord, where You are, we are, for we are abiding in You. Where You
go, we shall follow.
Page 353
T he Sixth H our
C o n tin u o u s Prayer
Ezek. 22:23-28; Ps. 58:1, 68:18; Matt. 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-41, Luke 22:40-46, John 18:3-9
During this hour’s gospel, Christ asks the disciples to sit with Him and stay awake. He
urges them three times to stay awake and pray, for His betrayers are at hand. Through such
persistence, the Lord teaches us the importance of vigil in times of trouble.
The psalm of the hour conjoins two prophetic psalms regarding the betrayal and capture
of Christ by His enemies. When King Saul sent men to watch over David in order to kill him,
David cries out to the Lord saying, “Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Defend me from
those who rise up against me. ” (Ps. 59:1). This verse is part of a long prayer for comfort and
deliverance from evil doers. The Church reads this psalm as a prayer for the deliverance of God
from the hands of these evil men.
E zekiel 2 2 : 2 3 ~2 8
A n d the w ord o f the L o r d cam e to m e, saying, ^ 4 ” Son o f m an, say to her: ‘Y ou are a land that is not
cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’ ^The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion
tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many
widows in her midst. ^H er priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished
between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they
have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. ^ H er princes in her midst are like
wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. ^H er prophets plastered
them w ith u ntem pered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them , saying, ‘T hus says the L ord G o d ,’
w h en the L o r d h ad n ot spoken.
Being the Word of God, and above all; He alone had the natural worthiness to renew the
creation of everything, to bear on behalf of all, and to intercede for all to the Father. It was
necessary that no one except God Himself should incarnate; “For it was fitting for Him, for
whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the
author o f their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Heb. 2:10). By this he means, that it was
not for anyone else to save them, except for the Word of God who has created them from the
beginning... By the sacrifice of His body, He put an end to the verdict against us.
St. Athanasius 6m .
My inner Jerusalem became dross. So why should I blame the fire that consumed it?! My
oppressing heart sheds the blood of the poor and needy; and my unclean thoughts profaned the
temple of the Lord in me. A gap came to separate me from You, O God! Who would fill this
gap?! Who would stand in this gap before You to intercede on my behalf - the foremost among
sinners?! Who would pay my debt and renew my nature, to encounter with You?
I thank You, O My Savior; the incarnate Word of God; You alone bore my sins; You
alone have been raised on the cross; You have turned my earth into heaven! You provided me
with Your Holy Spirit working in me; and lifted up my heart to the bosom of God Your Father!
O, You the amazing and unique Intercessor; Grant me to love the sinners, pray for them, and be-
self-sacrificed for their love. ‘ ------- _ — — ------——
700 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Ezekiel 22.
Page 354
Psalm 58: 1, 68*18

D eliver m e from m y enem ies, O m y G od; D efend m e from those w ho rise up against m e. D raw near
to m y soul, and redeem it; D eliver m e because o f m y enem ies.
In the Old Testament, Psalm 58 had referred to a time of bitter persecution, although the
exact historic occasion it refers to is unknown. Some scholars believe it refers to the corruption
of the justice warned about in Deut. 16:18-20. Nevertheless, this psalm was applied by the early
church to Jesus’ trail before the Sanhedrin in Matt. 26:57-68—which is why it is included here as
a preface to the gospel reading below.
Psalm 68 which is also chanted here was composed by someone hounded by persecutors,
which blends sorrow and compunction with vigor and decisiveness. This psalm reveals a
vulnerable man. The New Testament sees Christ prefigured in the singer’s zeal for God’s house
and in His sufferings [9, 21]. But the very juxtaposition of David cursing his tormentors and our
Lord Jesus praying for His, brings out the gulf between type and antitype, and indeed between
accepted attitudes among saints of the Old Testament and the New.701
And when iniquity they speak, false things they speak; because deceitful is iniquity: and
when justice they speak, false things they speak; because one thing with mouth they profess,
another thing in heart they conceal...Alienated from what? From truth. Alienated from where?
From the blessed country, from the blessed life...
St. Augustine702
This petition is evidently wonderful, neither briefly to be touched upon, nor hastily to be
skipped over; truly wonderful.. .1 see no reason for this petition, “Because o f my enemies deliver
me: ” unless we understand it of something else, which when I shall have spoken by the help of
the Lord, He shall judge in you, that dwells in you. There is a kind of secret deliverance of holy
men: this for their own sakes is made. There is one public and evident: this is made because of
their enemies, either for their punishment, or for their deliverance.
For truly God delivered not the brothers in the book of Maccabees from the fires of the
persecutor. ...But again the Three Children openly were delivered from the furnace of fire;
because their body also was rescued, their safety was public. The former were in secret
crowned, the latter openly delivered: all however saved. ...There is then a secret deliverance,
there is an open deliverance. Secret deliverance does belong to the soul, open deliverance to the
body as well. For in secret the soul is delivered, openly the body.
Again, if this is the voice of the Lord in this Psalm, let us acknowledge that He speaks of
secret deliverance when he said above, “Give heed to my soul, and redeem her. ” There remains
the body’s deliverance: for on His arising and ascending into the Heavens, and sending the Holy
Ghost from above, there were converted to His faith they that at His death did rage, and out of
enemies they were made friends through His grace, not through their righteousness. Therefore he
has continued, “Because o f my enemies deliver me. Give heed to my soul, ” but this in secret: but
“because of my enemies deliver” even my body. For my enemies it will profit nothing if soul
alone You shall have delivered; that they have done something, that they have accomplished
something, they will believe. “What profit is there in my blood, while I go down into
corruption?” Therefore “give heed to my soul, and redeem her,” which You alone know:
secondly also, "because o f my enemies deliver me, ” that my flesh may not see corruption.
St. Augustine703
701 Kidner, p. 245, Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Psalms.

702 St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalm 59, NPNF, s.l, v. 8, p. 448.
703St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalm 69, NPNF, s.l, v. 8, p. 448.
Page 355
Matthew 2 6 : 3 6 - 4 6
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and
pray over there.” 37And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and
deeply distressed. ^Then He said to them, “M y soul is exceedingly sorrow ful, even to death. Stay here and watch
with Me.” 39jie went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this
cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will. ” ^Then He came to the disciples and found them
asleep, and said to Peter, “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41Watch and pray, lest you enter into
temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42Again, a second time, He went away and prayed,
saying, “O M y F ath er, i f this cup can n ot p ass aw ay from M e u n less I d rin k it, Y ou r w ill be d on e.” 43 And He
came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. ^ S o He left them, went away again, and prayed the
third time, saying the same words. 45Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and
resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son o f M an is bein g betrayed into the hands o f sinners. ^^Rise,
let us be going. See, M y betrayer is at hand."
Mark 1 4 : 3 2 - 4 1
Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I
pray.” 33And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. 34jhen
He said to them, “M y soul is exceedin gly sorrow ful, even to death. S tay h ere and w a tch .” 3 5 He went a little
farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36And He said,
“A bba, F ather, all things are possib le for Y ou. T ake this cup aw ay from M e; n evertheless, not w h at I w ill, but
w h at Y ou will. ” 37Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you
not watch one hour? 3 8Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. T he spirit in d eed is w illing, but the flesh is
w eak .” ^9Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. 40And when He returned, He found them
asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. 41 Then He came the third time
and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! T h e h ou r has com e; b ehold, the Son o f M an is
bein g betrayed into the hands o f sinners.
L uke 2 2 : 4 0 - 4 6
When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And He was
withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42saying, “F ath er, i f it is Y ou r w ill,
tak e this cup aw ay from M e; n evertheless not M y w ill, but Y ours, be d on e.” ^xhen an angel appeared to Him
from heaven, strengthening Him. 44And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. T hen H is sw eat becam e like
g reat drops o f blood falling dow n to the ground. 45 \y h en He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples,
He found them sleeping from sorrow. 46Theri He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter
into temptation.”
J ohn 18:3-9
Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came
there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went
forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” ^They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them,
“I am He. ” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. *>Now w h en H e said to them , “I am H e, ” they
d rew b ack and fell to the ground. ^Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of
Nazareth.” ^Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” ^that
the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “O f those w hom Y ou gave M e I have lost non e.”
Page 356
Gethsemane
Gethsemane is interpreted as the “very fertile valley” where the Lord ordered His
disciples to sit down and wait for Him to return while He prayed alone for everyone.
St. Jerome704
Jesus brought His disciples from the Upper Room to a garden which was called
Gethsemane because, after He was betrayed, He did not want to be arrested in the same place
where he and His disciples had eaten the Passover. Even before He was betrayed, however, He
thought it fitting to chose to pray in places devoted purely to prayer, for He knew that some
locations are holier than others, as it is written, “The place where you are standing is holy
ground. ” [Ex. 3:5, Acts 7:33]
“Sit here while I pray”
His disciples were clinging to Him inseparably. So He said to His disciples, “Sit here,
while I go over there and pray. ” [Matt. 26:36]. For it was usually with Him to pray apart from
them. He did this to teach us how to pray, how to use silence and solitude to pray for great
matters. And taking with Him the three, He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to
death; remain here, and watch with Me. ” [Matt. 26:38] why does He not take all of them with
Him? that they might not be more sorrowful. He took only those who had been spectators of
His glory.
Not without reason does He inveigh against Peter most, although the others also had
slept; but to make him feel by this also, for the cause which I mentioned before. Then because
the others also said the same thing (for when Peter had said (these are the words), “Though I
must die with You, I will not deny You; likewise also,” it is added, “said all the disciples”); He
addresses Himself to all, convicting their weakness. For they who are desiring to die with Him,
were not then able so much as to sorrow with Him wake-fully, but sleep overcame them.
And He prays with earnestness, in order that the thing might not seem to be acting. And
sweats flow over him for the same cause again, even that the heretics might not say this, that He
acts the agony. Therefore there is a sweat like drops of blood, and an angel appeared
strengthening Him, and a thousand sure signs of fear, lest any one should affirm the words to be
reigned. For this cause also was this prayer. By saying then, “If it be possible, let it pass from
me,” He showed His humanity; but by saying, “Nevertheless not as I will, but as You wilt,” He
showed His virtue and self-command, teaching us even when nature pulls us back, to follow
God. For since it was not enough for the foolish to show His face only, He uses words also.
Again, words sufficed not alone, but deeds likewise were needed; these also He joins with the
words, that even they who are in a high degree contentious may believe, that He both became
man and died. For if, even when these things are so, this be still disbelieved by some, much
more, if these had not been. See by how many things He shows the reality of the incarnation: by
what He speaks, by what He suffers. After that He cometh and said to Peter, as it is said, “What,
704 St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew 4.26.37, AACS lb, p. 253.

705 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 89, AACS, lb, p. 254
706 St. John Chrysostom Homily 83.1 on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, p. 497.
Page 357
could you not watch one hour with me? ” All were sleeping, and He rebukes Peter, hinting at
him, in what He spoke. And the words, “with me,” are not employed without reason; it is as
though He had said, You could not watch with me one hour, and You will lay down Your life for
me? and what follows also, intimates this self-same thing. For “Watch, ” He says, “andpray not
to enter into temptation. ” See how He is again instructing them not to be self-confident, but
contrite in mind, and to be humble, and to refer all to God.
“Let this cup pm sfm m as I will,...*
You have heard Christ say, “Father, if You will, remove this cup from Me.” Was then
His Passion an involuntary act? Was the need for Him to suffer or the voice of those who plotted
against Him strong than His own will? We say no. His passion was a voluntary act, although in
another respect it was severe, because it implied the rejection and destruction of the synagogue
of the Jews...Since it was impossible for Christ not to endure the passion, He submitted to it,
because God the Father so willed it with Him.
It is not clear to all that He said this as a lesson to us to ask help in our trials only from
God, and to prefer God’s will tour own, and as a proof that He did actually appropriate to
Himself the attributes of our nature... [He also teaches] us to prefer God’s will to our own. For
that alone is impossible which is against God’s will and permission. “However not as I will but
as You will. ” For inasmuch as He is God, He is identical with the Father, while inasmuch as He
is Man, He manifests the natural will of mankind. For it is this that naturally seeks escape from
death.
Whatever is written concerning our savior in His human nature, should be considered as
applying to the whole race of mankind; because He took our body and exhibited Himself human
infirmity. Now of this cause John has written thus, ‘They sought to take Him: but no man laid
hands on Him, because His hour was not yet come.y [John 7:30] And before it came, He Himself
said to His Mother, ‘My hour is not yet come, ’ [John 2:4] and to them who were called His
brethren, (My time is not yet come. ’ [John 7:6] And again, when His time was come, He said to
the disciples, ‘Sleep on now, and take your rest: for behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of
man is betrayed into the hands o f sinners . ’ [Matt. 26:45] .
St. Athanasius709
It is unlikely that He did not know whether it was possible or not, or that He would
oppose the Father’s will. This is the language of Him who came down and assumed our nature.
However, this is not the language of human nature.. .the passage does not mean that the Son has
a special will of His own besides that of the Father but that He does not have a special will. The
meaning would be, “Not to do My own will, for there is none of my apart from, but that which is
common to Me and You. Since we have One Godhead, so we have one will.
707 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 147, p. 581.

708 St. John of Damascus, ONT commentary on Matthew 26, p. 125.
709 St. Athanasius, Defense of His Flight, §13, NPNF, s. 2, v. 4, p. 259.
710 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 30.12 On the Son, Library of Christian Classics, v. 3. p. 185.
Page 358
He knew what He was saying to His Father, and was well aware that this chalice could
pass from Him. But He had come to drink it for everyone, in order to acquit, through this
chalice, the debt of everyone, [a debt] which the prophets and martyrs could not pray with their
death...He assumed flesh. He clothed Himself with weakness eating when hungry; becoming
tired after working, being overcome by sleep when weary. It was necessary, when the time for
His death arrived, that all things that have to do with the flesh would be fulfilled then.. .Or it was
to teach His disciples to confide their life and death to God. If He, who is wise on account of the
wisdom of God, asked for what was fitting for Him, how much more [should] ordinary people
surrender their will to the One who knows all things...
And why did He come the second time?
And why did He come the second time? In order to reprove them, for that they were so
drowned in despondency, as not to have any sense even of His presence. He did not however
reprove them, but stood apart from them a little, showing their unspeakable weakness, that not
even when they had been rebuked, were they able to endure. But He did not awake and rebuke
them again, lest He should smite them that were already smitten, but He went away and prayed,
and when He is come back again, He said, “Sleep on now, and take your rest. ” And yet then
there was need to be wakeful, but to show that they will not bear so much as the sight of the
dangers, but will be put to flight and desert Him from their terror, and that He had no need of
their succor, and that He must by all means be delivered up, “Sleep on now, ” He said, “and take
your rest; behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands o f sinners. ”
He shows again that what is done belongs to a divine dispensation.
mHi$ sswe®$ became Mke gremtdrops €fbimdm**(L$ike22:44)
He sweated to heal Adam who was sick, “it is by the sweat o f your brow, ” God said,
“that you will eat your bread. ” [Gen. 3:19] He remained in prayer in this garden to bring Adam
back to his own garden again.
The praying in Gethsemane was from His human nature./.and this is declared by His
sweat and by His agony which was so great that, as the saying goes, drops of blood fell from
Him. For as the saying goes, as those who toil exceedingly, ‘sweat blood’ and those who lament
bitterly, ‘weep blood.’ This is why the evangelist uses the image of sweating drops of blood to
show that the Lord was not merely damp, but perspired all around.. .In a more mystical sense, the
Lord willed to suffer these things in order to heal human nature of cowardice...thus making
cowardice obedient to divine will.
711 St. Ephram the Syrian, Commentary on Tatian’s Diatesseron, 20.11, Oxford, pp. 292-6, AACS v. 2, pp. 210-211.
712 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 83, §1 on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10
713 St. Ephram the Syrian, Commentary on Tatian’s Diatesseron, 20.11, Oxford, p. 297, AACS v. 3, p. 344.
714 The Blessed Theophylact, PG 123:475B-D (Col. 1081), ONT, p. 395.
Page 359
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church t ▼ The Holy Pascha
We must not indeed pass over the fact that in many manuscripts, both Latin and Greek,
nothing is said of the angel’s coming or the Bloody Sweat. But while we suspend judgment,
whether this is an omission, where it is wanting, or an interpolation, where it is found (for the
discordance of the copies leaves the question uncertain), let not the heretics encourage
themselves that herein lies a confirmation of His weakness, that He needed the help and comfort
of an angel. Let them remember the Creator of the angels needs not the support of His creatures.
Moreover His comforting must be explained in the same way as His sorrow. He was sorrowful
for us, that is, on our account; He must also have been comforted for us, that is, on our
account. If He sorrowed concerning us, He was comforted concerning us. The object of His
comfort is the saint as that of His sadness. Nor let any one dare to impute the Sweat to a
weakness, for it is contrary to nature to sweat blood. It was no infirmity, for His power reversed
the law of nature. The bloody sweat does not for one moment support the heresy of weakness,
while it establishes against the heresy which invents an apparent body, the reality all His body.
Since, then, His fear was concerning us, and His prayer on our behalf, we are forced to the
conclusion that all this happened on our account, for whom He feared, and for whom He prayed.
Moreover, the statement, ‘All my bones are poured out and dispersed like water; my heart
has become like wax, melting in the midst of my belly, ‘was a prediction of that which happened
to Him on that night when men came out against Him to the Mount of Olives to seize Him. For
in the memoirs which I say were drawn up by His apostles and those who followed them, [it is
recorded] that His sweat fell down like drops of blood while He was praying, and saying, 7fit be
possible, let this cup pass: ’ His heart and also His bones trembling; His heart being like wax
melting in His belly: in order that we may perceive that the Father wished His Son really to
undergo such sufferings for our sakes, and may not say that He, being the Son of God, did not
feel what was happening to Him and inflicted on Him. Further, the expression, ‘My strength is
dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue has cleaved to my throat,' was a prediction, as I
previously remarked, of that silence, when He who convicted all your teachers of being unwise
returned no answer at all.
St. Justin716
Those drops of sweat flowed from Him in a marvelous way like great drops of blood, in
order that He might, as it were, drain off and empty the fountain of the fear which is proper to
our nature. For unless this had been done with a mystical import, He certainly would not, even
had He been the most fearful and lowly of men, have been sprayed in this unnatural way with
drops of sweat like drops of blood under the mere force of His agony.
Of like import is also the sentence in the narrative which tells us that an angel stood by
the Savior and strengthened Him. For this, too, bore also on the economy entered into on our
behalf. For those who are appointed to engage in the sacred exertions of conflicts on account of
piety, have the angels from heaven to assist them.
And the prayer, “Father, remove the cup, ” He uttered probably not as if He feared the
death itself, but with the view of challenging the devil by these words to erect the cross for Him.
With words of deceit that personality deluded Adam; with the words of divinity, then, let the
deceiver himself now be deluded. Howbeit assuredly the will of the Son is not one thing, and the
715 St. Hilary of Poitiers, ON the Trinity, Book 10 §§ 40, 41, NPNF 2, v. 9.
716 St. Justin, Dialogue Ch 103, ANF, v. 1.
Page 360
will of the Father another. For He who wills what the Father wills, is found to have the Father’s
will. It is in a figure, therefore, that He says, “not My will, but Yours. ” For it is not that He
wishes the cup to be removed, but that He refers to the Father’s will the right issue of His
passion, and honors thereby the Father as the First...
St. Dionysius717
“My Soul is Very Sorrowful99
What is meant by these words? the heretics think these words prove the consciousness of
natural infirmity which made Christ begin to be sorrowful. Now I appeal to common
intelligence. It cannot mean the same as to be sorrowful because of death” for where there is
sorrow because of death, it is the death that is the cause of sadness. But a sadness even unto
death implies that death is the completion, not the cause of sadness.... it is not for Himself that
the Lord is sorrowing and praying. It is for those whom He exhorts to watchfulness and prayer,
lest the cup of suffering should be their lot, lest that cup which He prays may pass away from
Him should rest with them.
The Lord, to test the fidelity of the human nature He had taken on, truly felt sorrowful.
However, lest the suffering in His soul be overwhelming, He began to feel sorrowful over the
events taking place just before His suffering. For it is one thing to feel sorrowful and another
thing to begin to feel sorrowful. But He felt sorrowful, not because He feared the suffering that
lay ahead and because He had scolded Peter for his timidity but because of the most unfortunate
Judas, the falling away of all the apostles, the rejection by the Jewish people, and the overturning
of woeful Jerusalem. Jonah, too, became sad when the plant of ivy had withered, unwilling to
have his booth disappear. [Jonah 4:8]
St. Jerome719
The passion of grief, or affliction or sore distress, as we may call it, cannot have
reference to the divine nature of the Word, which is not able to suffer. That is impossible since it
transcends all passion. We say that the incarnate Word also willed to submit Himself to the
measure of human nature by suffering what belongs to it. He is said to have hungered although
He is life, the cause of life and the living Bread. He was also weary from a long journey
although He is the Lord of Powers. It is also said that He was grieved and seemed to be capable
of anguish. It would not have been fitting for Him Who submitted Himself to emptiness and
stood in the measure of human nature to have seemed unwilling to endure human things. The
Word of God the Father, therefore, is altogether free from all passion. For the appointed time’s
sake, He wisely submitted Himself to the weakness of humankind in order that He might not
seem to refuse that which the time required. He even obeyed human customs and laws. He still
did not bear this in His own [divine] nature.
717 St. Dionysius, Exegetical Fragments 2, ANF, v. 6.

718 St. Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, Book 10, §§36-37, NPNF, s. 2, v. 9, p. 191.
719 St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew 4.26.37, AACS, lb, p. 255.
720 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 146, p. 583.
Page 361
It is proposed now, however, that we explain how, in respect to the previously mentioned
words, “when Jesus had said these things He was troubled, ” not His soul, nor in His soul, nor
even of the spirit, but "in the spirit. ” That our observation concerning the spirit, then may not be
useless, we must say that in the statement, “Now My soul is troubled, ” [John 12:27] the
experience of trouble belonged to the soul, but in the statement, “Jesus was troubled in spirit,”
which is the human spirit, the experience had come to the realm of the spirit.
For just as the saint lives in the spirit, which is he origin, while he lives, of every act and
prayer and hymn to God, so everything he does, whatever it may be, he does in the spirit, even to
the extent that he suffers, he suffers in the spirit.
And if the saint does this, by how much more must we say these things of Jesus, the
leader of the saints, whose human spirit in Him, that He has taken up the whole man stirred up
the other human elements in Him?
And so He “was troubled in Spirit, " that He might testify and say with a divine oath, as it
were, the “truly” in respect to the statement, “I say to you that one o f you will betray Me. ”
For I think, when the spirit beheld the devil had already put into the heart of Judas
Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray the Teacher; Jesus having been enlightened on what was toe
be, was troubled, and since the trouble had come from knowledge in the spirit, which was also in
a state of disturbance, “Jesus,” it is said, “was troubled in spirit. ”
But perhaps the flesh was troubled too according to one interpretation of the saying, “The
flesh is weak. ” [Mt. 26:41, Mk. 14:38] Now, Jesus was these things, of whom Gabriel had said
to Mary, “And behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and you shall call His Name Jesus. He
will be great, and will be called Son of the Most High. ” [Luke 1:31-32]
When we read that the Lord was sad, we must examine everything that was said to find
out why He was sad. He previously warned that they would all fall away. Brimming with
confidence, Peter responded that even though all the others might be alarmed, he would not be
moved [Matt. 26:33]—he who the Lord predicted would deny knowing Him three times. [Matt.
26:34] In fact, Peter and all the other disciples promised that even in the face of death they would
not deny Him. [Matt. 26:35] He then proceeded on and ordered His disciples to sit down while
He prayed. [Matt. 26:36] Having brought with Him Peter, James and John, He began to grieve.
Before He brought them along with Him, He did not feel sad. It was only after they had
accompanied Him that He grew exceedingly sad. His sadness thus arose not from Himself but
from those whom He had taken with Him. It must be realized that the Son of Man brought with
Him none but those whom he showed that He would come into His kingdom at that time when,
in the presence of Moses and Elijah on the mountain, He was surrounded by all the splendor of
His eternal glory. But the reason for bringing them with Him both then and now was the same.
721 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, Book 32, FC v. 89, pp. 383-384.
722 St. Hilary of Poitiers, On Matthew 31.4, AACS, lb, p. 254.
Page 362
T he N inth H o i / r
Seizin g C hrist
Jer. 9:7-11, Ezek. 21:28-32, Ps. 27:3,4; 34:4;
Matt. 26:47-58, Mark 14:43-54, Luke 22:47-55, John 18:10-14
In this hour, we read of the capture of our Lord in the garden of Gethsemane. Judas
signals to the others by kissing Him as a friend and calling Him Master, although he betrayed
Him in word and in deed. The first prophesy of Jeremiah and the Psalm speak about the deceit
of the tongue, and although one may speak good words, he waits to attack and destroy his Friend
and Lord.
Also in the his hour, Simon Peter draws his sword and cuts the ear of the servant; yet the
Lord tells him to return the sword to its sheath, as prophesied in the second prophesy of Ezekiel.
J eremiah 9:7-15
Therefore thus says the L o r d of hosts: “Behold, I will refine them and try them; For how shall I deal with
the daughter of My people? 8 T heir tongue is an arrow shot out; It speaks deceit; One speaks peaceably to his
neighbor w ith his m outh, B u t in his heart he lies in w ait. ^ shall I not punish them for these things? ” says the
Lord. “Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?”
1^1 will take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains, And for the dwelling places of the wilderness a
lamentation, Because they are burned up, So that no one can pass through; Nor can men hear the voice of the cattle.
Both the birds of the heavens and the beasts have fled; They are gone.
11”I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a den ofjackals. I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without
an inhabitant.”
The mouth is the source of every evil; Yet, it is not the mouth, but rather those who
misuse it. From it come insults, blasphemies, provocations of lusts, murder, adultery, and
stealing; All of which result from misusing the mouth.
If you control your mouth, ,0 brother, it will give you contrition of heart, that makes look
deep into yourself; and thus enter into the spiritual joy. Whereas if your mouth controls you -
believe me - You will not be able to escape from the darkness.
St. Isaac, the Syrian724
723 Excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Jeremiah.

724 Ibid.
Page 363
E z e k i e l 2 h i 8-3 2
“And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord G o d concerning the Ammonites and
concerning their reproach,’ and say:
‘A sword, a sword is drawn, Polished for slaughter, For consuming, for flashing— 29^hile they see
false visions for you, While they divine a lie to you, To bring you on the necks of the wicked, the slain Whose day
has come, Whose iniquity shall end.
30’Return it to its sheath. I will judge you In the place where you were created, In the land of your
nativity. -^1 will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow against you with the fire of My wrath, And deliver
you into the hands of brutal men who are skillful to destroy.
You shall be fuel for the fire; Your blood shall be in the midst of the land. You shall not be remembered,
For I the L o r d have spoken.’ “
The prophesy here points to the drawing of the polished sword that is ready for the
slaughter. The Lord permitted the sword to be drawn against Him by Judas and His adversaries,
but He did not permit the sword to be drawn by St. Peter and the disciples. Instead, He told St.
Peter to return it to its sheath, as mentioned in Ezek. 21:30.
PSALM 2 7 : 3 , 4 ; 3 4 : 4
Who speak peace to their neighbors, But evil is in their hearts. Give them according to their deeds, And
according to the wickedness of their endeavors; Give them according to the work of their hands; Render to them
what they deserve.
Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor Who seek after my life; Let those be turned back and
brought to confusion Who plot my hurt.
The first part of the psalm prophesies the nature Judas who spoke in peace and even
kissed the Savior, but had evil in His heart to betray His Master (Psalm 27:3,4). In the second,
David declares the punishment of those who seek to kill him, “Let those bet put to shame and
brought to dishonor who seek after my life, let those be turned back and brought to confusion
who plot my hurt. ” (Psalm 35:4) A later verse from Psalm 35 is read during the first hour of
Great Friday. Thus, Psalm 35 is known as a Passion psalm for it introduces the persecutors who
speedily seek destruction.
Christ, who spoke not guile from His mouth, and who exhibited all righteousness and
humility, not only...was not exposed to that kind of death for his own deserts, but (was so
exposed) in order that what was predicted by the prophets as destined to come upon Him through
your means might be fulfilled; just as, in the Psalms, the Spirit Himself of Christ was already
singing, saying, “They were repaying me evil for good; “ [Ps. 34] and, “What I had not seized I
was then paying in fu ll;” [Ps. 69:4]... all which He, actually and thoroughly suffering, suffered
not for any evil action of His own, but “that the Scriptures from the mouth o f the prophets might
be fulfilled. ”
Tertullian725
Matthew 2 6 : 4 7 - 5 8
And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and
clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48]Sk)W His betrayer had given them a sign, saying,
“Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” ^Îmmediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and
kissed Him. 5^But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and
Page 364
took Him. Â n d suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the
servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. ^But jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who
take the sword will perish by the sword. ^ O r do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will
provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? ^H o w then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must
happen thus?” ^ In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and
clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. 56gut all this was done that
the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
Â n d those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and
the elders were assembled. ^But peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in
and sat with the servants to see the end.
MARK 14:43-54
And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords
and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. ^N o w His betrayer had given them a signal,
saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.” 45As soon as He had come,
immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. ^xhen they laid their hands on
Him and took Him. 47A n d one 0f those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and
cut off his ear. ^Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords
and clubs to take Me? was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the
Scriptures must be fulfilled.” ^ T hen they all forsook Him and fled.
51]Sk>w a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the
young men laid hold of him, ând he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.
And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders,
and the scribes. ^But peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with
the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
L uke 2 2:47-55
And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went
before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. ^But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of
Man with a kiss?” "^W hen those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we
strike with the sword?” Â n d one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ^ *But Jesus
answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. ^Then Jesus said to the chief
priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with
swords and clubs? ^ When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and
the power of darkness.”
^Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a
distance. ^N o w when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among
them.
J ohn 18:10-14
Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear.
The servant’s name was Malchus. 1*So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the
cup which My Father has given Me?”
l^Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound
Him. 13And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that
year. l^Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
Page 365
Why MdnHHe escapefrom the Jews?
As it was not fitting for the Word of God, being the Life, to inflict death Himself on His
own body, so neither was it suitable to fly from death offered by others, but rather to follow it up
unto destruction, for which reason He naturally neither laid aside His body of His own accord,
nor, again, fled from the Jews when they took counsel against Him.
But this did not show weakness on the Word’s part, but, on the contrary, showed Him to
be Savior and Life; in that He both awaited death to destroy it, and hasted to accomplish the
death offered Him for the salvation of all. And besides, the Savior came to accomplish not His
own death, but the death of men; whence He did not lay aside His body by a death of His own -—
for He was Life and had none—but received that death which came from men, in order perfectly
to do away with this when it met Him in His own body.
Again, from the following also one might see the reasonableness of the Lord’s body
meeting this end. The Lord was especially concerned for the resurrection of the body which He
was set to accomplish. For what He was to do was to manifest it as a monument of victory over
death, and to assure all of His having effected the blotting out of corruption, and of the
incorruption of their bodies from thenceforward; as a gage of which and a proof of the
resurrection in store for all, He has preserved His own body incorrupt.
If, then, once more, His body had fallen sick, and the word had been sundered from it in
the sight of all, it would have been unbecoming that He who healed the diseases of others should
suffer His own instrument to waste in sickness. For how could His driving out the diseases of
others have been believed in if His own temple fell sick in Him ? For either He had been mocked
as unable to drive away diseases, or if He could, but did not, He would be thought insensible
toward others also.
St. Athanasius726
Jesus was not taken prisoner; for at the fitting time He did not prevent Himself falling
into the hands of men, as the Lamb of God, that He might take away the sin of the world. For,
knowing all things that were to come upon Him, He went forth, and said to them, “Whom do you
seek? "and they answered, “Jesus o f Nazareth; ” and He said to them, “I am He. ” Judas also,
who betrayed Him, was standing with them. When, therefore, He had said to them, “I am He, ”
they went backwards and fell to the ground. Again He asked them, “Whom do you seek? ” and
they said again, “Jesus o f Nazareth. ” Jesus said to them, “I told you I am He; if then you seek
Me, let these go away. ” Nay, even to Him who wished to help Him, and who smote the high
priest’s servant, and cut off his ear, He said: “Put up your sword into its sheath...
And if any one imagines these statements to be inventions of the writers of the Gospels,
why should not those statements rather be regarded as inventions which proceeded from a spirit
of hatred and hostility against Jesus and the Christians? and these the truth, which proceed from
those who manifest the sincerity of their feelings towards Jesus, by enduring everything,
whatever it may be, for the sake of His words? For the reception by the disciples of such power
of endurance and resolution continued even to death, with a disposition of mind that would not
invent regarding their Teacher what was not true, is a very evident proof to all candid judges that
they were fully persuaded of the truth of what they wrote, seeing they submitted to trials so
numerous and so severe, for the sake of Him whom they believed to be the Son of God
726 Saint Athanasius, On the Incarnation, §22, SVS Press.

Page 366
The Kiss .
How magnificent is the endurance of evil by the Lord who even kissed His own traitor,
and then spoke words even softer than a kiss! For He did not say, “0 you abominable one, or
traitor, is this what you do in return for great kindness?” He simply says, “Judas” using his first
name. [Luke 22:48] This is in the voice of one commiserating with another or who wished
another to come back to him, not the voice of anger.
St. Dionysius of Alexandria728
You are offering a kiss, you who do not know the mystery of a kiss. What is wanted is
not the kiss of lips, but rather the kiss of the heart and the soul.
St. Ambrose729
There is a certain order to the different facets of Christ’s suffering. But the reason for
Judas’s kiss was that we might discern all our enemies and those who we know would delight in
raging against us. The Lord does not resist his kiss.
And the traitor says to Jesus, “Master. ” Indeed, all heretics, like Judas, address Jesus in
the same way, “Master.” They kiss Him even as Judas did. Jesus speaks peacefully to them all,
since they are all Judases who betray Him: “Judas, is it with a kiss that you betray the Son of
Man?” As for Judas, he is approached by Christ for his false friendship. “Friend, why are you
here? ” We hear of no one who is good called by that name in the Scriptures. Moreover, to the
wicked and the one not wearing a garment he says, “Friend, how did you get in here without a
wedding garment ” [Matt. 22:12] Wicked too is that man in the parable of the denarius who
hears the words, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?
Take what belongs to you and go. I chose to give to this last as I give to you. ” [Matt. 20:13-14]
Look at the hypocrisy! I think it is exposed through the question that accuses the traitor
with the compassion of love: “Judas do you betray the Son o f Man with a kiss?” That is like
saying, “Do you wound the pledge of love, shed blood in the duty of charity, and give death with
the instrument of peace? Do you, a servant, betray your Lord, a disciple his master, a chosen one
the Creator?” In other words, “the wounds o f a friend are more useful than the voluntary kisses
o f an enemy. ” [Prov. 27:6] he says this to a traitor. What does Christ say to a peacemaker? “Let
him kiss me with the kisses o f his mouth. ” [Song 1:2] He kissed Judas, not that Christ should
teach us to pretend but that He should not appear to flee from betrayal. Hence He did not
deprive Judas of the dues of love. [Matt. 26:49]. It is written, “It was peaceful among those that
hate peace. ” [Ps. 119:6]
St. Ambrose732
728 St. Dionysius of Alexandria, Exegetical Fragments, ANF, v. 6, p. 116

729 Excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Matthew.
730 St. Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew 32.2, AACS lb, 260-261
731 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 100, AACS lb, p. 261.
732 St. Ambrose, Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 10:63-64.
Page 367
For indeed [Judas] was afraid of the multitude, and desired to seize him alone. Oh
madness! how did covetousness altogether blind him! For he that had often seen Him when He
went through the midst, and was not seized, and when He afforded many demonstrations of His
Godhead and power, looked to lay hold on Him; and this while He was using like a charm for
him so many, both awful and soothing words, to put an end to this evil thought. For not even at
the supper did He forbear from this care of him. But unto the last day talked to him of these
things. But he profited nothing. But the Lord never ceased to do His part.
Knowing this, then, let us also not intermit to do all things unto them that sin and are
remiss, warning, teaching, exhorting, admonishing, advising, though we profit nothing. For
Christ indeed foreknew that the traitor was incorrigible, yet nevertheless He ceased not to
supply what could be done by Himself, as well admonishing, threatening and bewailing
over him, and nowhere plainly, nor openly, but in a concealed way. And at the very time of the
betrayal, He allowed him even to kiss Him, but this benefited him nothing. So great an evil
is covetousness, this made him both a traitor, and a sacrilegious robber.
Listen, all you covetous, you that have the disease of Judas. Listen and beware of the
calamity! For if he that was with Christ, and performed miracles, and had the benefit of so much
instruction—but because he was not freed from the disease and was sunk into such a gulf—how
much more shall you, who do not so much as listen to the Scripture, who are constantly riveted
to the things present, become an easy prey to this calamity, unless you have the advantage of
constant care?! Every day was that man with Him, who had not where to lay His head, and
every day was he instructed by deeds, and by words, not to have gold, nor silver, nor two coats;
and yet he was not taught self restraint; and how do you expect to escape the disease, if you have
not the benefit of earnest attention, and do not use much diligence?
For terrible, terrible is the monster, yet nevertheless, if you be willing, you will
easily get the better of him. For the desire is not natural; and this is manifest from them that are
free from it. For natural things are common to all; but this desire has its origin from remissness
alone; hence it takes its birth, hence it derives its increase, and when it has seized upon those
who look greedily after it, it makes them live contrary to nature. For when they regard not their
fellow countrymen, their friends, their brethren, in a word all men, and with these even
themselves, this is to live against nature. Whence it is evident that the vice and disease of
covetousness, wherein Judas, being entangled, became a traitor, is contrary to nature. And how
did he become such a one, you may say, having been called by Christ? Because God’s call is not
compulsory, neither does it force the will of them who are not minded to choose virtue, but
admonishes indeed, and advises, and does and manages all things, so as to persuade men to
become good; but if some endure not, it does not compel. But if you would learn from what
cause he became such as he was, you will find him to have been ruined by covetousness.
Why did He chose [Judas], and.. .make him a steward? To show His perfect love and His
perfect mercy. [It was] also that our Lord might teach His Church that, even if there are false
teachers in it, it is nevertheless the true seat [of authority]...It was also [to] teach that even if
there are evil stewards, the stewardship itself is true. He therefore washed his feet [John
13:5]...Jesus kissed the mouth which gave the signal for death to those who apprehended Him.
He reached out and gave bread into the hand that reached out and took his price, and sold Him
unto slaughter... The tribe of Judah marked the beginning of the kingdom [Gen. 49:10], and
the apostle Judas marked its extinction...the Lord called animosity friendship and He
733 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 80 on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10
Page 368
turned toward Judas. The deceitful disciple approached the true Master to kiss Him. The Lord
withdrew from Him the Spirit that He breathed into him. He removed it from him, not wanting
the corrupting wolf to be among his sheep. He said, “That which he had has been taken away
from him. ” [Matt. 13:12]...
He does mot escape butprotects the drciplesfrom harm.
[In the garden], the wolf, clad in a sheep’s skin, and tolerated among the sheep by the
profound counsel of the Father of the family, learned where he might opportunely scatter the
slender flock, and lay his coveted snares for the Shepherd. “Judas then, ” he adds, "having
received a cohort, and officers from the chief men and the Pharisees, cometh thither with
lanterns, and torches, and weapons. ” It was a cohort, not of Jews, but of soldiers.
Therefore, we are to understand it as having been received from the governor, as if for the
purpose of securing the person of a criminal, and by preserving the forms of legal power, to deter
any from venturing to resist his captors: although at the same time so great a band had been
assembled, and came armed in such a way as either to terrify or even attack any one who should
dare to make a stand in Christ’s defense. For only in so far was His power concealed and
prominence given to His weakness, that these very measures were deemed necessary by His
enemies to be taken against Him, for whose hurt nothing would have sufficed but what was
pleasing to Himself; in His own goodness making a ggod use of the wicked, and doing what was
good in regard to the wicked, that He might transform the evil into the good, and distinguish
between the good and the evil.
St. Augustine735
Here He declares Himself to be Master even as the Father. If so, He is the Shepherd, and
the sheep are His...Oh! what depravity had the traitor’s soul received. For with what kind of
eyes did he then look at his Master? with what mouth did he kiss Him? Oh! accursed purpose;
what did he devise? What did he dare? What sort of sign of betrayal did he give? Whomever I
shall kiss, he said. He was encouraged by his Master’s gentleness, which more than all was
sufficient to shame him, and to deprive him of all excuse for that he was betraying one so meek.
...“Aren’t you ashamed even of the form of the betrayal?,” He said. Even this did not
stop him. He submitted to be kissed, and gave Himself up willingly. So they laid their hands on
Him, and seized Him that night on which they ate the Passover, to such a degree they boiled with
rage, and were mad. However, they would have had no strength, unless He had Himself allowed
it. Yet this delivers not Judas from intolerable punishment, but even more exceedingly condemns
him, for that though he had received such proof of His power, lenity, meekness, and gentleness,
He became fiercer than any wild beast. Knowing then these things, let us flee from
covetousness...
734 St. Ephram the Syrian, CTD, 20.12, Oxford, p. 291, 297, AACS v. 2, p. 216; v. 3, p. 346.
Page 369
Cutting the Em
The apostle cuts off the ear of the slave of the high priest. That is, a disciple of Christ cuts
of a disobedient ear from a man in the priesthood. What was once incapable of hearing the truth
is now cut off.
Perhaps what Peter did was a mystery, for the right ear of the Jewish people had to be cut
off because of their malice toward Jesus. Though they seem to hear the law, they now hear with
their left ear the shadowy tradition of the law, but not the truth, since they are enslaved by the
words that profess the service of God but do not serve Him in truth. They mystery of these
words against Christ is found in the person of Christ’s adversary, the high priest Caiphas. Now it
seems to me, since all the Gentile believers were made one people in Christ, the very fact that
they believed in Christ was the reason why the right ear of the Jews was cut off, according to
what had been prophesied about them, “Make the heart o f this people dull', And their ears heavy,
and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, And understand with
their heart, And return and be healed. " [Is. 6:10].
The wounds increase in their bitterness because they came wrapped up in the covering of
false love, and tender words that carry under the poisonous evil. We, too, when we unite with the
Lord Jesus, we are encountered by one of our own ‘household’, as Judas. He cuts short the Spirit
of truth in us, for he says that man’s enemies are of his own household. The Lord gave Judas the
last chance, even at the last moments when He was being arrested. He blamed him in gentle
words, “Friend’ why have you come? ” (Matt. 26:50) With a kiss, Judas betrayed his Master.
Saint Peter cut the right ear of the servant of the chief priest. This act was a sign of the
inability of the Jews to good listening , for they did not listen well to the words of Jesus. They
have rather honored the left ear, that is, they obeyed their impulses that sprung up from their
fanaticism. They have thus become “deceiving and being deceived. ” (2 Tim. 3:1-3) As the Book
says “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as...the commandments o f men. "...(Matt. 15:19).
It is as if St. Peter has revealed what is in their depths that the spiritual right ear has been cut off,
since they paid more attention to the left ear and listened to falsehood. But the Lord has come to
heal the right ear and to make it listen to spiritualities.
Put Your Sword Away
He said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its place ” (which is one of patience). After
restoring the amputated ear, as the other Evangelist says [Luke 22:51], (which was a sign of both
supreme kindness and divine power), He spoke these words that they might ring true to what He
737 St. Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew 32.2, AACS lb, p. 261.
739 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Matthew.
740 St. Cyril the Great, an excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Matthew.
Page 370
had said and done before. Although they might not remember the good things done in the past,
they might acknowledge the good things done in the present.
But perhaps He may be thought to have feared to the extent that He prayed that the cup
might be removed from Him: “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto You: remove this cup
from M e” To take the narrowest ground of argument, might you not have refuted for yourself
this dull impiety by your own reading of the words, Put up your sword into its sheath: the cup
which My Father has given Me, shall I not drink it? Could fear induce Him to pray for the
removal from Him of that which, in His zeal for the Divine Plan, He was hastening to fulfill? To
say He shrank from the suffering He desired is not consistent. You allow that He suffered
willingly: would it not be more reverent to confess that you had misunderstood this passage, than
to rush with blasphemous and headlong folly to the assertion that He prayed to escape suffering,
though you allow that He suffered willingly?
The Disciples Fled
Up until the time He was seized, they remained. But when He had said these things to
the multitudes, they fled. For from then on they could see that escape was no longer possible.
So He gave Himself up to them voluntarily saying that this was done according to the scriptures.
741 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 103, AACS lb, pp. 261-2.
742 St. Hilary of Poitiers, On the Holy Trinity, Book 10, §30, NPNF, s. 2, v. 9.
743 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, Homily 84.2, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, p. 503
Page 371
T he E leventh H our
T he T rials Begin
Is. 27:11-28:15, Ps. 2:1-2; 4-5; Matt. 26:59-75, Mark 14:55-72, Luke 22:56-65, John 18:15-27
Isaiah here speaks of the crown of pride on the heads of the enemy (28 :1), yet the Lord
wears a crown of glory and beauty (28:5). This is the crown of suffering. God also promises to
gather His children together, as is mentioned in the gospels as well.
We read during this hour four verses from Psalm 2, which is considered Messianic by
both Jewish and Christian traditions. Here, believers from all nations are renewed and sanctified
by His Holy Spirit. This psalm is frequently quoted in the New Testament, where it is applied to
Christ as the King, the great Son of David and God’s Anointed (Acts 4:25ff; 13:33; Heb. 1:5;
5:5). In other Orthodox services, this chapter is read during Christmas Eve, as the refrain for one
of the hymns; and on Great Friday, where the entire psalm is sung in the First Hour prayer.744
The Gospels show the Lord’s example of the “temple” and St. Peter’s three denials.
The Exposition of the hour explains further how this psalm is a prophesy that the kings
of the earth would condemn Him with false testimony.
IS A IA H 2 7 :1 1 - 2 8 : 1 5
When its boughs are withered, they will be broken off; The women come and set them on fire. For it is a
people of no understanding; Therefore He who made them will not have mercy on them, And He who formed them
will show them no favor.
And it shall come to pass in that day That the L o r d will thresh, From the channel of the River to the
Brook of Egypt; And you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel.
So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They will come, who are about to perish in
the land of Assyria, And they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, And shall worship the L o r d in the holy mount
at Jerusalem.
28.1 w oe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower
Which is at the head of the verdant valleys, To those who are overcome with wine! 2Behold, the Lord has a mighty
and strong one, Like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, Like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, Who will
bring them down to the earth with His hand. ^The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, Will be trampled
underfoot; Ând the glorious beauty is a fading flower Which is at the head of the verdant valley, Like the first fruit
before the summer, Which an observer sees; He eats itup while it is still in his hand.
În that day the L o r d o f hosts w ill be For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty To the rem nant of
His people, ^For a spirit ofjustice to him who sits in judgment, And for strength to those who turn back the battle
at the gate.
744 Orthodox Study Bible, commentary on Psalm 2, p. 637.
Page 372
^But they also have erred through wine, And through intoxicating drink are out of the way; The priest and
the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, They are swallowed up by wine, They are out of the way
through intoxicating drink; They err in vision, they stumble in judgment. ^For all tables are full of vomit and filth;
No place is clean.
9”Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned
from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? ^ F o r precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line
upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little."
1 ^For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, ^ T o whom He said, “This is
the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” And, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear.
13B u t the word of the L o r d was to them, “Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line
upon line, Here a little, there a little,” That they might go and fall backward, and be broken And snared and caught.
^Therefore hear the word of the L o r d , you scornful men, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,
^Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we are in agreement. When the
overflowing scourge passes through, It will not come to us, For we have made lies our refuge, And under falsehood
we have hidden ourselves.”
Some see in this a prophecy about gathering the children of Israel at the end of time,
when they receive faith in Christ, while others see in it a portrait of God’s work along the ages,
as He brought His people out of the land of Egypt, then saved them from the Babylonian
captivity. Or it may, likewise refer to the new Israel, the Church that gathered nations and
peoples to enjoy the risen life.
P s a l m 2:1-2, 4 - 5
Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? ^The kings of the earth set themselves, And the
rulers take counsel together, Against the L o r d and against His Anointed, saying, 4He who sits in the heavens
shall laugh; The L o r d shall hold them in derision. ^Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in
His deep displeasure.
This psalm originated in a political setting and was related to the coronation ceremony of
new kings at Jerusalem temple and the royal palace. It declares how the pagan kings are against
the new anointed and coronated king who is a symbol of the Messianic King.
“He who dwells in the heavens shall laugh at them. ” If by “heaven ” we understand holy
souls, God (who dwells in His saints), foreknows what is to come, and “shall laugh at them, and
shall hold them in derision.
St. Augustine747
He who dwells in the heaven shall laugh at them, because the Lord indeed, being the Son,
and Heir since He is in essence one with the Father and enjoys the authority of God the Father,
having become Man, called those who believe in Him unto communion and participation of His
heavenly kingdom and of His eternal glories. But the wicked in their pride, refused, thinking that
they could reign without Him
745 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Isaiah, p. 276.

746 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Psalm 2.
747 Ibid.
748 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 53 on John.
Page 373
. Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church t The Holy Pascha
Christ Himself declares, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate ” [Matt. 23:38]. And
His parables declare the same thing when He says, “ What shall the Lord o f that vineyard do to
those vinedressers? He shall miserably destroy those wicked men ” [Matt. 21:40,41].
Ma tth ew 2 6:5 9 - 7 5
Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to
death, 6%ut found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false
witnesses came forward 6 land said, “Thisfellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in
three days.’ “ 62And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify
against You?” ^B ut Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the
living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” 64jeSus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I
say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of M an sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the
clouds of heaven.” ^Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need
do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! ^W hat y0u think?” They answered and
said, “He is deserving of death.” ^ T h e n they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the
palms of their hands, 68saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”
69now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with
Jesus of Galilee.” ^But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” 71And when he
had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with
Jesus of Nazareth.” 72gut again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” 73A n d a little later those who
stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” ^Then he
began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. 75And peter
remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So
he went out and wept bitterly.
Ma r k 14:55-72
Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found
none. ^For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree. ^Then some rose up and bore
false witness against Him, saying, ^ ”We heard Him say, T will destroy this temple made with hands, and within
three days I will build another made without hands.’ “ ^But not even then did their testimony agree. Â n d the
high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify
against You?” 61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are
You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62jeSus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right
hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What
further need do we have of witnesses? 64Y ou have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” And they all
condemned Him to be deserving of death. ^Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat
Him, and to say to Him, “Prophesy! ” And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.
66nOW as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came. 67And when
she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.” 68gut he
denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” And he went out on the porch, and a rooster
crowed. 69And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, “This is one of them.” ^But
he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, “Surely you are one of them; for you are
a Galilean, and your speech shows it. ” 71 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you
speak!” 72a second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before
the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.
749 St. John Chrysostom, Of the Christian Faith, 5:10, p. 122.
Page 374
L uke 2 2 : 5 6 - 6 5
And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was
also with Him.” ^But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” Â n d after a little while another saw
him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” ^Then after about an hour had passed,
another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely thisfellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” ^But Peter said,
“Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. Â n d the
Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the
rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” ^S o Peter went out and wept bitterly.
6^Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him. Â n d having blindfolded Him, they struck
Him on the face and asked Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?” Â n d many other things
they blasphemously spoke against Him.
JOHN 1 8 : 1 5 - 2 7
And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high
priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. ^But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the
other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.
l^Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He
said, “I am not.” ^N o w the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they
warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
l^The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine. ^Jesus answered him, “I spoke
openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I
have said nothing. ^ W h y do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know
what I said.” 22A n d when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of
his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?” 23jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear
witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?” ^xhen Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
2^Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His
disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!” ^Ône of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him
whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27peter then denied again; and
immediately a rooster crowed.
Why did our Lord keep silent?

We find in the law several cases of swearing. Here, the priest commands Jesus to swear
“by the living God. ” In this regard, I believe it is improper for one who wants to live by the
gospel to command someone to swear. Therefore it is clear that the high priest unlawfully
ordered Jesus to swear, even though he may have ordered him to swear “by the living God. ”...
It was not fitting for our Lord to respond to the high priest’s command to swear.. .For this
reason, He neither denied that He was Christ, the Son of God, nor did He openly declare it.
Instead, as though accepting to be a swearing witness.. .He replied, “You have said so. ”
And since everyone who commits sin is “o f the devil” [1 Jn. 3:8], the high priest also
committed a sin in plotting against Jesus. Therefore, he was of the devil, and being of the
devil as it were, he imitated his very father, who doubtingly asked the Savior twice, “I f You
are the Son o f God,” as it is written concerning his temptations. Similar in fact are the words, ‘I f
You are the Son o f God” and “I f You are the Christ, the Son o f God. ” [Mt. 4:3,6] Someone may
rightly say in this regard that to doubt whether Christ is the Son of God is the work of the devil
and of the high priest who plotted against the Lord.
Page 375
Blind anger and impatience, bereft of grounds for a false accusation, dislodged the high
priest from his seat and he displayed the extreme state of his mind with a violent bodily gesture.
The more Jesus kept silent over the false witnesses and dishonorable priests indignant at His
response, all the more did the high priest, overcome with rage, provoke him to give an
incriminating reply. Still Jesus kept quiet, because as God He knew that whatever He replied
would be twisted into grounds for accusation.
St. Jerome751
It was not in vain that the prophesy had preceded Him, “Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened
not His mouth. ” [Is. 53:7] when He did not open His mouth it was reminiscent of the figure of a
lamb. It was not as one of bad conscience convicted of sins, but as one who in His meekness
was being sacrificed for the sins of others.
St. Augustine752
When Pilate debated with the religious leaders, Lord Jesus was silent, realizing what the
prophet said: “He opened not His mouth and in His humility there was wisdom. ” [Is. 53: 7, 8].
It was fitting for Him to be silent during His passion; but He would not be so in His
judgment, when He who, in great humility, was sentenced, comes to judge all.. .The Lord Christ
kept silent during the ordeal of His trial, in order to conceal His Deity, to let them consummate
what they intended to do; But at His ultimate coming, He “Shall not keep silent” [Ps. 50:3]; as
He will be proclaiming His Deity.
St. Augustine754
Why did the Cmiphms temr his mhes?
The high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy. He did this to add
force to the accusation and to aggravate what He said by symbolic action. What had been said
moved the hearers to fear. They did in this case what they would later do in the case of Stephen:
they stopped their ears [Acts 7:57]. The high priest does the same thing.
The one whom fury had lifted out of his priestly throne was impelled by that same fury to
tear his garments. When Caiphas tore his robes, he demonstrated that the Jews had lost the glory
of the priesthood and that the seat of the high priest was now vacant. But it is the custom of the
Jews to tear their clothes when they hear nay blasphemy against God. We read that Paul and
Barnabas did this when they were honored and worshipped as gods in Lyaconia.
St. Jerome756

752 St. Augustine, Tractates on John 116.45., NPNF, s. 1, v. 7, p. 426.
753 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10.
755 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, Homily 84, 2-3, NPNF, s. 1, v.10, p.514.
Page 376
His Sufferings
This is clearly a reflection of the holy prophet’s words, “Be astonished' O heavens, at
this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate, ” says the Lord. ” [Jer. 2:12]. The one true God,
the King of kings and Lord of lords. He was dishonored by us: first He endured blows, and then
he endured laughter from the sinful, demonstrating the highest patience yet presented to us. How
can the One who "examines the heart and mind” the One who illuminates the prophets, not
know “who strikes You ”1
Who is this strange One who says that He had been silent before, but would not always
be silent? Who is He Who was led as a sheep to the slaughter and Who, like a lamb without
making a sound before its shearer, did not open His mouth? [Is. 53:7] Who is He who did not
cry out and whose voice was not heard in the streets? Surely it was He who was not stubborn
and Who did not murmur when He offered His back to the scourges and His cheeks to the blows.
He did not turn His face away from their filthy spittle. [Is. 50:5-6, Mat. 26:67, Mark 14:65, Luke
22:63] When accused by the priests and elders, He answered nothing [Mat. 26:63, Mark 14:61]
and, to the amazement of Pilate, kept a most patient silence. [Matt. 27:14, Mark 15:5]
St. Cyprian758
By suffering these things in our place, He would deliver us (as I believe) who were
worthy to suffer all that disgrace. Truly He did not “die for us ” [Rom. 5:8] that we might not die
but that we might not die for ourselves. And He was spit upon and beaten for us, so that we who
were worthy of all these things because of our sins might not just suffer them but, suffering them
for the sake of justice, we might gratefully accept them. Paul makes it clear that the Savior,
“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the
point o f death, even the death o f the cross. ” [Phil. 2:8]... On account of all this, “God exalted
Him. ” [Phil. 2:9] God not only exalted Him because of the death He underwent for our sake but
also because of the beating, the spitting, and all the rest.
Christ did not turn His face away from “insult and spitting99[Is. 50:6] so His face might
be glorified more than the face of Moses [Ex. 34:29]—with so much glory that comparatively the
glorification of Moses’ face was outshone, even as the light of a lamp is outshone by that of the
sun and even as knowledge, which knows in part, is outshone “When that which is perfect has
come. ” [1 Cor. 13:10] but they also buffeted the holy head of the church. Because of this, they
will be beaten by Satan.. .as just punishment for the sin they omitted in beating Jesus.
Not content with spitting in His face and buffeting Him, they even struck His face with
the palms of their hands, and mocking Him, they said, “Prophesy to us, O Christ! Who is it that
struck You? ” on account of this.. .they have been struck and punished. Yet they were unwilling
to accept any discipline, as Jeremiah had prophesied about them: “You have stricken them, But
they have not grieved; You have consumed them, But they have refused to receive correction. ”
[Jer. 5:3] And now whoever harms anyone in the Church and does these things to him spits
on the very face of Christ, and buffeting Christ, they slap Him with the palms of their
hands.”
757 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Fragment 301, AACS lb, p. 267.

758 St. Cyprian, The Good of Patience, 23, FC v. 36, p. 286.
Page 377
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church # The Holy Pascha
The Three Denials
I believe that the first servant girl who caused Christ’s disciples to deny Him symbolizes
the synagogue of the Jews, “according to the flesh, ” who have frequently coerced the faithful to
deny Him. The second maidservant stands for the assembly of Gentiles who also in persecuting
Christians has forced them to deny the Lord. And third were the bystanders in the courtyard,
who are ministers of the different heresies who compel others top deny the truth of Christ.
We do not say that the denial took place in order that Christ’s words might come true.
We say, rather, that His purpose was to forewarn the disciple, inasmuch as what was about to
happen did not escape Christ’s knowledge. The misfortune, therefore, happened to the disciple
from the cowardice of human nature. Since Christ had not risen from the dead, He had not yet
abolished death and wiped corruption away. The fear of undergoing death was something
beyond human endurance...The miserable act arose from the affliction of human cowardice.
The disciple’s conscience condemned him... forhe. grieved immediately afterwards and his tears
of repentance that fell from his eyes as for a serious sin. It sa ys,“having gone out, he wept
bitterly ” after Christ had looked at him and reminded him of what He had said to him.
What difference does it make that the maid is the first to give Peter away? The men
could have recognized him instead. Perhaps this happened so that we may see that the female
gender also sinned by killing the Lord, so that His Passion should also redeem womankind. A
woman therefore was the first to receive the mystery of the Resurrection and to obey the
commands [John 20:11-18], so that she abolished the old error of her sin.
Oh strange and wonderful acts! When indeed he saw his Master seized, Peter was so
fervent as both to draw his sword, and to cut off the man’s ear. But when it was natural for him
to be more indignant, and to be inflamed and to bum, hearing such insults, then he becomes a
denier. For who would not have been inflamed to madness by the things that were then done?
Yet the great disciple, overcome by fears, so far from showing indignation, even denies, and
endures not the threat of a tiny and lowly servant girl.
This happens not once only, but he denies His Lord for a second and third time. In a
short period, and not so much as before judges, for it was without for “when he had gone out
into the porch, ” they asked him, and he did not even readily come to a sense of his fall. And this
Luke said, namely, that Christ looked at him showing that he not only denied Him, but was not
even brought to remembrance from within, and this though the cock had crowed; but he needed a
further remembrance from his master, and His look was to him instead of a voice; so exceedingly
was he full of fear...
But Mark says, that when he had once denied, then first the cock crew, but when thrice,
then for the second time; for he declares more particularly the weakness of the disciple, and that
761 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 149.
762 St. Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of Luke, 10.73, AACS, v. 2, pp. 348-349.
Page 378
he was utterly dead with fear; having learnt these things of his masters himself, for he was a
follower of Peter. In which respect one would most marvel at him, that so far from hiding his
teacher’s faults, he declared it more distinctly than the rest, on this very account, that he was his
disciple.
How then is what is said true, when Matthew affirms that Christ said, “Verily I say unto
you, that before the cock crow you will deny Me three times; ” and Mark declares after the third
denial, that “The cock crew the second time? ” No, most certainly is it both true and in harmony.
For because at each crowing the cock is wont to crow both a third and a fourth time, Mark, to
show that not even the sound checked him, and brought him to recollection said this. So that both
things are true. For before the cock had finished the one crowing, he had denied a third time.
And not even when reminded of his sin by Christ did he dare to weep openly, lest he should be
betrayed by his tears, but “he went out, and wept bitterly. ”
The second time he denied not simply but with an oath; the third time also with cursing.
By this we are instructed never to promise without consideration anything above our human
ability.
Why did Peter weep?
Peter also wept bitterly. He wept so that he could purge his sin with tears. If you want to
deserve pardon, you should wash away your guilt with tears. At that same moment and time,
Christ looks at you. if you perhaps fall into some sin, because He is a witness to your secrets, He
looks at you so that you may recall and confess your error. Imitate Peter, when he says, ion
another place for the third time, “Lord, you know that I love you.” [John 21:15] since he denied
Him a third time, he confesses Him a third time. He denied at night, but he confesses by day.
These words are written that we should know that no one must boast of himself. If Peter
fell because he said, “Even if all are made to stumble because o f You, I will never be made to
made to stumble, ” what other person can rightly take himself for granted? Since David also
said, “I said in my prosperity, 7 shall never be moved’” he admitted that his boasting had
harmed him, saying, “You turned away Your face, and I was troubled. ” [Ps. 30:6-7]....
Why did Peter weep? Guilt took him by surprise. I am accustomed to weep if I lack
guilt, if I do not avenge myself, or do not get what I wickedly desire. Peter grieved and wept
because he went astray as a man. I do not learn why he spoke, but I learn that he wept. I read
of his tears, but I do to read of his explanation. What cannot be defended can be purged. Tears
may wash away the offense that is a shame to confess aloud. Tears deal with pardon and shame.
Tears speak of guilt without fear and confess sin without the obstacle of shame. Tears do not
demand pardon and deserve it. I learn why Peter was silent, lest a swift petition for pardon might
offend even more. First he must weep, and then he must pray.
Remembrance of his denial was necessarily bitter, so that the grace of redemption might
be even more sweet. If Christ had not left him to himself, he would not have denied. If Christ
763 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, Homily 85.1-2, NPNF, s. 12, v. 10, p. 507.
765 St. Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of Luke, 10.73,88, 90, 91, AACS, v. 2, pp. 348-350.
Page 379
had not looked at him, he would not have wept. God hates people relying presumptuously on
their own powers. Like a doctor, he lances this swollen tumor in those whom He loves. By
lancing it, of course, He inflicts pain, but He also ensures health later. When He rises again, the
Lord entrusts His sheep to Peter, to that one who denied him. Peter denied Him because he
relied on himself, but later Peter would feed His flock as a pastor, because he loved Him. After
all, why does He ask him three times about his love, if not to prick his conscience about his
threefold denial?
St. Augustine766
To wash away the sin of denial, Peter needed the baptism of tears. From where would he
get this, unless the Lord gave him this too? That is why the apostle Paul gave this advice to his
people concerning deviant opinions and about how they should deal with them. He said they
must be “correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent
and come to know the truth. ” [2 Tim. 2:25] So even repentance is a gift from God. The heart of
the proud is hard ground. It is softened for repentance only if it is rained on by God’s grace.
St. Augustine767
766 St. Augustine, Sermon 285.3, AACS, v. 3, pp. 349-350.

767 St. Augustine, Sermon 290.1, AACS, v. 3, pp. 350.
768Vos, H. F. 1999. Nelson’s New illustrated Bible manners and Customs: How the people o f the Bible really lived.
Page 380
C h apter 14
G r e a t F r id a y
JOHN 1 5 : 2 6 - 1 6 : 1 5
+ a .i 6 / “ Th is is He’
Page 381
By far, the one day of the entire church year in which the Church prays together is Great
Friday. More prayers are prayed, more readings read, more hymns chanted than any other time.
All because of the perfect sacrifice of Christ on the Cross for the life of the world. Through such
meditations and hymns, truly all time passes by.
On this day, we meditate upon the Holy Cross, which is the joy of every Christian soul;
the path to salvation; the road to eternal victory; the weapon against pain, sorrow, and death; the
doorway to the heavenly kingdom.
This atmosphere the Church created for us of prayer and worship make us feel as if we
are witnessing the events transpire before our eyes. We not only are witnesses to the Holy
Passion of our Good Savior, but we become participants in the story of salvation. We find
ourselves at the end of the Twelfth Hour, and feel that it was just a few moments ago that we
began this holy day.
Through this Holy Pascha Week, the Church has revealed to us the great mysteries of our
Lord Jesus Christ. On Lazarus Saturday, He is the meaning and purpose of our Life, who
declared to us, “I am the way, the truth and the life. ” On Palm Sunday, He is revealed as the
King of kings, riding on the donkey into our hearts to become enthroned on the Cross. On
Monday, He is the Gardener that seeks to implant in us the seeds of truth, so that we may yield
the fruit of the Holy Spirit. On Tuesday, He is our beloved Bridegroom—He takes us from this
world, into a new home so that we may spend eternity with Him in perfect love and the fullness
of joy. On Wednesday He is the Aroma o f life to those who are being saved (as the woman at His
feet); and the aroma of death those who are perishing (as Judas, who denies him on this day).
On Holy Thursday, He is the humble Servant who washes our feet as well as the Bread o f Life
Who offers us His Body and Blood to be one with Him and dine with Him. Finally, on Great
Friday He appears as the Lamb o f God Who takes away the sins of the world.
The Lamb of God appears throughout each hour in a different form. During the First
hour, He is tried and convicted under false accusations and testimony. During the Third hour,
He was bruised and suffered Lamb—whipped, spat upon, and mocked for our sakes. During the
sixth hour, He was crucified for our sakes. In the Ninth Hour, He gave His soul to the Father. In
the Eleventh, stabbed with the spear. Finally, in the Twelfth, He was buried in the tomb.
Page 382
The trial
Due. 8:19-24; Is. 1:2-9, 2:10-21, Jer. 22:29-23:6; 3:1-6; Zech. 11:11-14;
Wisdom 2:12-22; Job 12:18-13:1; Mic. 1:16-2:3, Ps. 26:12, 34:11, 12;
Matt. 27:1-14; Mark 15:1-5; Luke 22:66-23:12; John 18:28-40
The first hour focuses on the Trial of God with man, and that of man with God. In the
Old Testament, God often put man on trial because of his many sins, and sought condemnation
for his rebellion and stubbornness. Thus, the first two prophesies focus on the rebellion against
God by the Israelites. First, in Deuteronomy, Moses tells the Jews how they sinned against
God while he was on the mountain, and how Moses interceded before God not to destroy them.
Despite their sin, the Lord tells them, "You are to cross over the Jordan today... ” Thus, the
Lord does not prevent us from the baptism or the cross due to our sin.
In the second prophesy of Isaiah, the Lord tells His people, "You have rebelled against
Me. ” He calls them a sinful nation, who work iniquity, vipers, corrupt ones, stiffed-necked, who
provoked God to anger. Their trouble increases because of their sin (Is. 1:4), the natural
consequence of sin. Despite their sin, the Lord has not left them to be like Sodom and Gomorrah.
The third prophesy of Jeremiah speaks of the Cross, the Throne of God upon which He
is glorified throughout the nations. Although the shepherds have destroyed and scattered the
sheep, the Lord promises us, “But I will gather the remnant o f My flock out o f all countries
where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and
increase. ” Thus, through the Cross, the Lord converts sin into repentance; desolation to
fruitfulness; sorrow into joy. In the second passage of Jeremiah, God accuses us, as His bride,
of being unfaithful by having many lovers. Despite our unfaithfulness, He still leaves the door
open to return, “‘But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return to Me, ’ says the
L o r d .”
The Wisdom of Solomon shows how the Jews will spitefully examine and torture Him,
but He will be saved. We see many accusers, not just one, as the Lord is brought to Pilate,
Caiphas, and stood before many accusers. They tested His patience, teachings, and divinity. The
passage assures us, however, that if He is truly the “Son o f God, He will help Him and deliver
Him from the hand o f His adversaries. ” (v. 18) Truly, He is God and truly He conquered His
adversaries through His resurrection.
Page 383
The passage of Job, though not included in some books, also refers to the Lord’s victory
over His enemies. He “loosens the bonds of kings.. .leads princes away plundered,... overthrows
the mighty.. .He disarms the mighty.. .and brings the shadow of death the light.”
Micah the prophet also clearly reassures us of His resurrection proclaims, “for I have
fallen yet shall arise; for though I should sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light to me. ”
The remaining prophesies foretell the trials in which the Jews falsely condemned our
Lord Jesus Christ. The chief priests took the silver and bought a potter’s field with it to bury
strangers in. This itself was the fulfillment of two prophesies (Zee. 11:12-13; Jer. 19:1-13,
32:9). Judas hung himself, unable to acknowledge the forgiveness of God, and unwilling to
depend on Christ. Instead of repentance, Judas turned a transgression into another transgression.
The “fierce witnesses ” mentioned in Psalm 35:11 specifically refers to these false witnesses at
the trial of Christ.
In the gospels, our Lord began to be judged in front of a series of councils. The chief
priests convened together and condemned the Savior so that they might deliver Him to Pilate to
kill Him (Exposition). False witnesses came forth to falsely accuse Him. When Judas saw that
He was condemned, he brought the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders to avoid
the responsibility for innocent blood (Matt. 23:34-35; Deu. 21:9, 27:25).
Then, they had bound Jesus and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate, the governor. A set of
charges is presented to Pilate. When Pilate discovers that our Lord was from Galilee, he sent
Him to Herod, who questioned and mocked Him. Then the Accused is then returned back to
Pilate to without being found guilty.769 When Christ is returned to Pilate, he tries twice to release
Him, even offering a lesser penalty of whipping. Finally, Pilate gives in to the “will” of the
Jews. It was a custom to release one of the prisoners at the time of the feast, but the people
chose to release Barabbas instead of Jesus. Then Pilate washed His hands in front of them,
denying any responsibility for the Innocent One.
Judas’ love of money led to his demise, as explained in the homily of St. John
Chrysostom. Ironically, Judas has the same name as Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob,
who rather than shedding His brother Joseph’s blood, sold him for twenty (or thirty) pieces of
silver. (Gen. 37:26-28).
At the end of this hour, the Icon of the crucifixion is placed on an icon holder in the
chorus of deacons. Candles, lamps, crosses, gospels, and censor(s) and rose petals are placed
before the icon of Crucifixion. The rose petals remind us of life which springs forth from the
earth, which will happen for us through Christ, who is now condemned to His death.
My Lord Jesus when we enter the church this morning and stand before Your Cross, may
we be joyful because we took this free gift and You bought us with Your Blood while we are
worth dust. This was not because of any merit or any righteousness from our part. It is Your
love, O Master, that made You undress and raised You on the Cross to take us from death to life.
Fr. Pishoy Kamel770
D euteronomy 8:19-9:24
Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the L o r d your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and
w orship them , I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. Ôa s the nations w hich the L ord destroys
before you, so you shall perish, because you w ould not be obedient to the voice o f the L o rd your God.
769 A similar event occurred when the perplexed Roman governor Festus turns St. Paul over to the Herodian King
Agrippa II to be interrogated.
Page 384
9;l ”Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today, and go in to dispossess nations greater and
mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven, â people great and tall, the descendants of the
Anakim, whom you know, and o f whom you heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the descendants of Anak?’
^Therefore understand today that the L o r d your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He
will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the
L o r d has said to you. ^Do not think in your heart, after the L o r d your God has cast them out before you, saying,
‘Because of my righteousness the L o r d has brought me in to possess this land’; but it is because of the wickedness
of these nations that the L ord is driving them out from before you. Ît is not because of your righteousness or the
uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the
L o r d your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the L o rd swore to your
fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ^Therefore understand that the Lo rd your God is not giving you this good
land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people.
^’’Remember. Do not forget how you provoked the L ord your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the
day that you departed from the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the
L o r d . Âlso in Horeb you provoked the L o r d to wrath, so that the L o r d was angry enough with you to have
d estroyed you. ^W h en I w ent up into the m ountain to receive the tablets o f stone, the tablets o f the covenant w hich
th e L ord m ade w ith you, then I stayed on the m ountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread no r drank
water. ^T h en the L or d delivered to me two tablets of stone written with the finger of God, and on them were all
the words which the L o r d had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.
1 Â n d it cam e to pass, at the end o f forty days and forty nights, that the L o r d gave m e the tw o tablets o f stone, the
tablets o f the covenant. ^ T h e n the L o r d said to m e, ‘A rise, go dow n quickly from here, for your people w hom you
bro u g h t out o f E g ypt have acted corruptly; they have quickly turned aside from the w ay w hich I com m anded them ;
th ey have m ade them selves a m olded im ag e.’
^ ’’Furthermore the L o r d spoke to me, saying, ‘I have seen this people, and indeed they are a stiff-necked
people. l^Let Me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make
of you a nation mightier and greater than they.’ ^ S o I turned and came down from the mountain, and the
mountain burned with fire; and the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands. ^ A n d I looked, and behold,
you had sinned against the L o r d your God—had made for yourselves a molded calf! You had turned aside quickly
from the way which the L o r d had commanded you. 17Then I took the two tablets and threw them out of my two
hands and broke th em before your eyes. ^ A n d I fell dow n before the L o r d , as at the first, forty days and forty
nights; I n either ate b read n or drank w ater, because o f all your sin w hich you com m itted in doing w ickedly in the
sight of the L o r d , to provoke Him to anger. ^ F o r I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which the
L o r d was angry with you, to destroy you. But the L o r d listened to me at that time also. ^ A n d the L o r d was very
angry with Aaron and would have destroyed him; so I prayed for Aaron also at the same time. ^ T h e n I took
your sin, the calf which you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it and ground it very small, until it was as
fine as dust; and I threw its dust into the brook that descended from the mountain.
22”Also at Taberah and Massah and Kibroth Hattaavah you provoked the L o r d to wrath. ^-^Likewise,
when the L o r d sent you from Kadesh Bamea, saying, ‘Go up and possess the land which I have given you,’ then
you rebelled against the commandment of the L o r d your God, and you did not believe Him nor obey His voice.
24you have been rebellious against the L o r d from the day that I knew you.
In the previous days, we read about the Lord’s enemies who were plotting His death;
today we begin reading of His victory over His enemies, which begins through the salvation on
the Cross. In the first reading, we see the Lord “is a consuming fire ” destroying His enemies
and the nations. This also reminds us of our fasting, after the example of the Lord who fasted as
Moses did, for he drank no water and ate no bread on account of the people’s sins.
In like manner He points to the cross of Christ...in Moses, when Israel was attacked by
strangers. And that He might remind them, when assailed, that it was on account of their sins
they were delivered to death, the Spirit speaks to the heart of Moses, that he should make a figure
Page 385
of the cross, and of Him about to suffer thereon; for unless they put their trust in Him, they shall
be overcome for ever. Moses therefore placed one weapon above another in the midst of the hill,
and standing upon it, so as to be higher than all the people, he stretched forth his hands, and thus
again Israel acquired the mastery. But when again he let down his hands, they were again
destroyed. For what reason? That they might know that they could not be saved unless they put
their trust in Him. And in another prophet He declares, “All day long I have stretched forth My
hands to an unbelieving people, and one that gainsays My righteous way.”
Epistle of Barnabas771
I s a i a h 1*. 2 ~ 9
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the L ord has spoken: “ I have nourished and brought up
children, And they have rebelled against Me;
3The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not
consider.”
4Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They
have forsaken the L o r d , They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.
^Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the
whole heart faints. ^From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises
and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment.
7Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence;
And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. ^So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, As a hut in
a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city. Ûnless the L o r d of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We
would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah.
According to nature - to creation - we are said to be the children of God, being all His
creation. But, as far as obedience and education are concerned, we are not all, children of God.
Only those who believe in Him, and who consummate His will, are His children. Those who do
otherwise are the children of the devil and his angels, as they are doing his works.
St. Irenaeus772
When the Pharisees prosecuted our Lord and Savior, He wept for their coming
destruction. They mistreated Him; yet, He did not do the same to them, not even under threat;
and not even when they killed Him. On the contrary, He felt sorry for their behavior... All these
things were actually written before their eyes in the Holy Scripture; as Isaiah prophesied: “/ have
nourished and brought up children, and they rebelled against M e ” (Is. 1:2) They are no longer
the people of God, nor a holy nation, but have become: “Rulers o f Sodom... and people o f
G o m o r r a h (Is. 1:10) They even surpassed the transgressions of Sodom, as the prophet
prophesied: “Neither... Sodom, nor... (Gomorrah) have done as you... have done. " (Ezek. 16: 48)
The people of Sodom opposed angels; but those people attacked God, Lord of all, and their King.
They killed the King of angels; not realizing that Christ they killed is still living up to this day.
St. Athanasius773
Isaiah 2 : io~ 2 i
Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, From the terror of the L o r d And the glory of His majesty.
H The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, And the L or d alone
shall be exalted in that day.
771 Epistle of Bamabus, Ch. 12, ANF, v. 1.

773 St. Athanasius, Paschal Letter 8, NPNF, s. 2, v. 4.
Page 386
l^For the day of the L o r d of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up-
-And it shall be brought low- 13U p o n an the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, And upon all the oaks
of Bashan; lÛpon aU the high mountains, And upon all the hills that are lifted up; lÛpon every high tower, And
upon every fortified wall; lÛpon all the ships of Tarshish, And upon all the beautiful sloops, l^The loftiness of
man shall be bowed down, And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; The L o r d alone will be exalted in that
day, 1^But the idols He shall utterly abolish.
l^They shall go into the holes of the rocks, And into the caves of the earth, From the terrorof the L o rd
And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily.
20ln that day a man will cast away his idols of silver And his idols of gold, Which they made, each for
himself to worship, To the moles and bats,
21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, And into the crags of the rugged rocks, From the terror of the L o rd
And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily.
“The glory o f His majesty ” is mentioned twice in this passage—in the very first and very
last verses of this passage. The first verse refers to the glory of His Cross, for the rock
mentioned here is Christ, just as Moses hit the Rock and hid win the rock to see the glory of God
(Ex. 33:20, 21). As St. Paul says, “and that Rock was Christ ” [1 Cor. 10:4] The very last verse
refers to the glory of His resurrection, especially in the earthquake. Then, He arose “to shake the
earth mightily. ”
What is the rock in which we hide before the divine splendor, but the Lord Christ? As in
him, we find for ourselves, a refuge before divine justice. That is why, when the prophet Moses
desired to behold the divine glory, he was told: “You can not see My face, for no man shall see
Me, and live... Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock (Christ is our rock). So it
shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft o f the rock, and I will cover you
with My hand while I pass by” (Exodus 33: 20, 21) As long as we lean on our Christ, the true
Rock, and abide in Him, and He puts us as though in a cleft within Him, we shall be able to
behold the divine glory. But if we lean on ourselves, or on a human arm, we shall perish and be
denied beholding God.
The sacred books acknowledge with regard to Christ, that as He is the Son of man, so is
the same Being not a [mere] man; and as He is flesh, so is He also spirit, and the Word of God,
and God. And as He was bom of Mary in the last times, so did He also proceed from God as the
First-begotten of every creature; and as He hungered, so did He satisfy [others]; and as He
thirsted, so did He of old cause the Jews to drink, for the “Rock was Christ ” Himself: thus does
Jesus now give to His believing people power to drink spiritual waters, which spring up to life
eternal. And as He was the son of David, so was He also the Lord of David. And as He was from
Abraham, so did He also exist before Abraham. And as He was the servant of God, so is He the
Son of God, and Lord of the universe. And as He was spit upon ignominiously, so also did He
breathe the Holy Spirit into His disciples. And as He was saddened, so also did He give joy to
His people. And as He was capable of being handled and touched, so again did He, in a non-
apprehensible form, pass through the midst of those who sought to injure Him, and entered
without impediment through closed doors. And as He slept, so did He also rule the sea, the
winds, and the storms. And as He suffered, so also is He alive, and life-giving, and healing all
our infirmity. And as He died, so is He also the Resurrection of the dead. He suffered shame on
774 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Isaiah, pp. 71-72.
Page 387
earth, while He is higher than all glory and praise in heaven; Who, "though He was crucified
through weakness, yet He lives by divine power; ” Who “descended into the lower parts o f the
earth, ” and Who “ascended up above the heavens; ” for whom a manger sufficed, yet who filled
all things; who was dead, yet who lives for ever and ever. Amen.
St. Irenaeus775
Jeremiah 22t29~2$;6
O earth, earth, earth, Hear the word of the L o rd ! ^Thus says the L o rd : ‘Write this man down as childless,
A man who shall not prosper in his days; For none of his descendants shall prosper, Sitting on the throne of David,
And ruling anymore in Judah.’ “
23:l”Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the L o r d . ^Therefore
thus says the L o r d God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock,
driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the
L o r d . ^”But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring
them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. ^1 will set up shepherds over them who will
feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the L o rd .
^’’Behold, the days are coming,” says the L o r d , “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A
King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. În His days Judah will be
saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
J e r e m i a h 3 ; 6
“They say, ‘If a man divorces his wife, And she goes from him And becomes another man’s, May he return
to her again?’ Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet
return to Me,” says the L o rd .
2”Lift up your eyes to the desolate heights and see: Where have you not lain with men? By the road you have
sat for them Like an Arabian in the wilderness; And you have polluted the land With your harlotries and your
wickedness. ^Therefore the showers have been withheld, And there has been no latter rain. You have had a harlot’s
forehead; You refuse to be ashamed. ^Will you not from this time cry to Me, ‘My father, You are the guide of my
youth? ^Will He remain angry forever? Will He keep it to the end?’ Behold, you have spoken and done evil things,
As you were able.”
^The L o r d said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: “Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done?
She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot.
Here, He reveals the essence of marital life, clarifying that marriage is supposed to be an
unbreakable secret union; Yet, if a third party got in between, that union is dissolved for good.
No man would remarry his harlot divorcee, lest the ground; namely his body would get defiled !
God, on the other hand, is not like any human husband, to expel His betrayer wife; But, in his
limitless love, although He sees that the soul has voided her union with Him through her union
with His enemies —the Devil and his hosts with their evil works; counting them as her friends ....
Yet He calls her again, saying, “Return to Me”.
This is a new kind of goodness; God receives the soul, even after harlotry, if she returns
and repents from her whole heart... Here God appears as jealous; He seeks your soul, and wishes
that you attach to Him. He is indeed not pleased; He is angry; and revealing some kind of
jealousy; to let you know that He longs for your salvation
775 St. Irenaeus, Fragment 52, ANF, v. 1.

776 Fr. Tadros Malaty Commentary on Jeremiah.
777 Ibid., an excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Jeremiah.
Page 388
He speaks of that who presents herself to harlotry with a multitude, who came to corrupt
her; those who are related to Satan and his angels, who plot to defile and corrupt the beauty of
our rational mind and sound insight; through dialogue, and corrupting every soul that is
betrothed to the Lord.
Father Methodius778
W i s d o m of S o l o m o n 2 : 1 2 - 2 2
12 “Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because He is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he
reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us of sins against our training. 13 He professes to have
knowledge of God, and calls Himself the Son of God. 14 He became to us a reproof of our thoughts;15 the very sight
of Him is a burden to us, because His manner o f life is unlike that of others, and His ways are strange. 16 We are
considered by Him as something base, and He avoids our ways as unclean; He calls the last end of the righteous
happy, and boasts that God is His Father.
17 Let us see if His words are true, and let us test what will happen at the end of His life; 18 for if the
righteous man is the Son of God, He will help Him, and will deliver Him from the hand of his adversaries.19
Let us test Him with insult and torture, that we may find out how gentle He is, and make trial of His
forbearance.20 Let us condemn Him to a shameful death, for, according to what He says, He will be protected.” 21
Thus they reasoned, but they were led astray, for their wickedness blinded them ,22 and they did not know the secret
purposes of God, nor hope for the wages of holiness, nor discern the prize for blameless souls;
This passage contains the cry of the wicked, when Pilate examined Him with the Roman
soldiers, they said, “let us see if his works are true... Let us examine him with despitefulness and
torture, that we may know His meekness and prove His patience.” Finally, they declared, “Let
us condemn Him with a shameful death. ” Truly, they were blind, as the prophet declares, they
did not know the mysteries of God, that they had the Messiah the Son of God before them.
Many interpret this passage as direct prophesies of Matthew 27:41-44.
This passage also prophesies of the resurrection of the Lord as well, when the accusers
say, for if the righteous man is the Son of God, “He will help Him, and will deliver Him from the
hand o f his adversaries. ” This is precisely what had happened, despite all of Satan’s trickeries
and deceit.
Z e c h a r i a h 1 1 :1 1 - 1 4
So it was broken on that day. Thus the poor of the flock, who were watching me, knew that it was the word
of the L o r d , ^ j h e n I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they
weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. ^ A n d the Lo r d said to me, “Throw it to the potter”~that
princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the L o r d
for the potter, ^ j h e n I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and
Israel.
Hear now in regard to thirty pieces of silver: “And I will say to them, ‘I f it seems good to
you, give me my wages, or refuse. One recompense is due me for curing the blind and the
lame, and I receive another; instead of thanksgiving, dishonor, and instead of worship, insult. Do
you see how Scripture foresaw all this? “And they counted out my wages, thirty pieces o f silver. ”
O prophetic accuracy! A great and unerring wisdom of the Holy Spirit! For he did not say ten or
twenty but thirty, exactly the right amount. Tell also what happened to this payment, O prophet!
Does he who received it keep it, or does he give it back? And after its return what becomes of it?
778 Ibid.
Page 389
The prophet says, “So I took thirty pieces o f silver, and I cast them into the house o f the Lord,
into the foundry. ” Compare with the prophesy of the Gospel, which says, “Judas repented and
flung the pieces o f silver into the temple and withdrew. ”
Micah 7:l~8
Woe is me! For I am like those who gather summer fruits, Like those who glean vintage grapes; There is no
cluster to eat Of the first-ripe fruit which my soul desires. ^The faithful man has perished from the earth, And there
is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; Every man hunts his brother with a net.
3That they may successfully do evil with both hands-- The prince asks fo r gifts, The judge seeks a bribe,
And the great man utters his evil desire; So they scheme together. ^The best of them is like a brier; The most
upright is sharper than a thorn hedge; The day of your watchman and your punishment comes; Now shall be their
perplexity.
^Do not trust in a friend; Do not put your confidence in a companion; Guard the doors of your mouth From
her who lies in your bosom. ^For son dishonors father, Daughter rises against her mother, Daughter-in-law against
her mother-in-law; A man’s enemies are the men of his own household. ^Therefore I will look to the L o r d ; I will
wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.
^Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The L o r d will be
a light to me.
Malice is a dreadful thing and full of hypocrisy. It has filled the world with ten thousand
evils; through this malady the law courts are filled, from this comes the desire of fame and
wealth, from this the love of rule, and insolence, through this the roads have wicked robbers and
the sea pirates, from this proceed the murders through the world, through this our race is rent
asunder, and whatever evil you may see, you will perceive to arise from this. This has even burst
into the churches, this has caused ten thousand dreadful things from the beginning, this is the
mother of greed, this malady has turned all things upside down, and corrupted justice... For
“gifts, blind the eyes o f the wise, and as a muzzle on the mouth turn away reproofs. ” (Eccles.
20:29) This makes slaves of freemen, concerning this we talk every day, and no good comes of
it, we become worse than wild beasts; we plunder orphans, strip widows, do wrong to the poor,
join woe to woe. “Alas! that the righteous has perished from the earth!” (Mic. 7:1, 2.) It is our
part too henceforth to mourn, or rather we have need to say this every day. We profit nothing by
our prayers, nothing by our advice and exhortation, it remains therefore that we weep.
Thus, after repeatedly exhorting those in Jerusalem, when they profiled nothing, Christ
wept at their hardness. This also do the Prophets, and this let us do now. Henceforth is the season
for mourning and tears and wailing; it is seasonable for us also to say now, “Call for the
mourning women, and send for the cunning women, that they may cry aloud” (Jer. 9:17); perhaps
thus we shall be able to east out the malady of those who build splendid houses, of those who
surround themselves with lands gotten by rapine. It is seasonable to mourn; but do you take part
with me in the mourning, you who have been stripped and injured, by your mournings bring
down my tears. But while mourning we will mourn, not for ourselves but for them; they have not
injured you, but they have destroyed themselves; for you have the Kingdom of heaven in return
for the injustice done you, they hell in return for their gain. On this account it is better to be
injured than to injure. Let us bewail them with a lamentation not of man’s making, but that from
the Holy Scriptures with which the Prophets also wailed. With Isaiah let us wail bitterly, and say,
“Woe, they that add house to house, that lay field to field, that they may take somewhat from
Page 390
their neighbor; will you dwell alone upon the earth? Great houses and fair, and there shall be no
inhabitants in them. ” (Isa. 5:8, 9.)
JO B 1 2 : 1 8 - 1 3 : 1
He loosens the bonds of kings, And binds their waist with a belt. ^ H e leads princes away plundered,
And overthrows the mighty. 20jje deprives the trusted ones of speech, And takes away the discernment of the
elders. 21jje pours contempt on princes, And disarms the mighty. 22jje UnCOvers deep things out of
darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light. 23jje makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges
nations, and guides them. 24jje takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, And makes
them wander in a pathless wilderness. 25j]iey gr0pe in the dark without light, And He makes them stagger like a
drunken man. l^V’Behold* my eye has seen all this, My ear has heard and understood it.
Psalm 2 6 ? 1 2 , 3 4 ? l l , 12
For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence. Fierce witnesses rise up; They
ask me things that I do not know. They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul.
Again, there were others who had their hands full of iniquity, and accusing these he said,
“Iniquities are in their hands, and their right hand is filled with gifts. ” But he himself had hands
practiced in nothing but in being stretched out towards heaven. Therefore he said of these too, ”
the lifting up o f my hands (let it be) an evening sacrifice.
Matthew 27:1-14
When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.
2And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
3Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty
pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, ^saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said,
“What is that to us? You see to it! ” ^Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went
and hanged himself. ^But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the
treasury, because they are the price of blood.” Ând they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field,
to bury strangers in. ^Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. ^Then was fulfilled what
was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces o f silver, the value o f Him who was
priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 1®and gave them fo r the potter’s field, as the L o r d directed me. ”
U N o w Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the
Jews?” So Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” 12And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders,
He answered nothing. l^Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?”
14But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.
Mark lS :l-5
Immediately, in the morning, the chiefpriests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole
council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. 2xhen Pilate asked Him, “Are You the
King of the Jews?” He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.” Ând the chief priests accused Him of many
things, but He answered nothing. 4Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many
things they testify against You!” ^But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.
780 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, Homily 64, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14.
781 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Psalms.
Page 391
Luke 22:66^23,12
As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him
into their council, saying, ^^”If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means
believe. Â n d if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go. ^ H e r e a fte r the Son of Man will sit
on the right hand of the power of God.” ^Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?” So He said to them,
“You rightly say that I am.” Â n d they said, “What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves
from His own mouth.”
23 -1Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. Ând they began to accuse Him, saying,
“We found thisfellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ,
a King.”
3Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him and said, “It is as you
say.” ^So Pilate said to the chiefpriests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.” ^But they were the more fierce,
saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”
6When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean. Ând as soon as he knew that He
belonged to Herod’sjurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. ^Now when Herod
saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many
things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. ^Then he questioned Him with many words, but
He answered him nothing. Â nd the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. ^Then Herod,
with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him
back to Pilate. ^That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at
enmity with each other.
J ohn 18U28-40
Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did
not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. ^Pilate then went out to
them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” 3^They answered and said to him, “If He were not
an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.” 31Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge
Him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” 3^that
the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die. 33Then Pilate entered
the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” 34jesus answered him, “Are
you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?” 35Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew?
Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?” 36jesus answered, “My
kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be
delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” 37pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king
then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was bom, and for this cause I have come
into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38pilate said to
Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in
Him at all.
39”But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me
to release to you the King of the Jews?” ^Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now
Barabbas was a robber.
JutM smi the Field
If they had put the blood money into the treasury, their deed might have remained
relatively more hidden. But the religious leaders make clear their guilt to all subsequent
generations by buying the piece of land for burial. They thereby unconsciously declare their
guilt.
So do not imagine that someone might do a good work through murder and use the
Page 392
reward for some supposed good purpose. Such alms are satanic. Such reasoning is twisted. Do
not be naive about this. There are still many who imagine that they are permitted to violently
take countless things that belong to others. Then they make an excuse for their violence if they
give some ten or a hundred gold pieces to charity. Of these the prophet has said, “You have
covered my altar with tears. ” [Mai. 2:13] Christ is not willing to be fed by covetousness. He
does not accept these gifts. Why do you insult your Lord by offering these unclean things? It is
better to leave people to pine with hunger than to feed them from these polluted sources....
Once again they are self-condemned by their own conscience. Don’t you see this? They
knew that they had been paying straightaway for a murder. They even bought a field for the
burial of strangers. They did not even put the silver into a treasury. So this directness itself
became a witness against them and a proof of their treason...
They did not make these decisions randomly but took counsel together. This indicates
that no one is innocent of the deed. All are guilty. So it is in cases of conspiracy... Even the very
name of the place proclaims more sharply than a trumpet their guilt of murder.
All these things had been foretold from ancient times by prophecy. It was not the apostles
alone but the prophets who were also declaring these events precisely as they occurred. Don’t
you see how they foresaw in every way the suffering of Christ? How they knew of its
chastisement beforehand?
Because the quality of resting places for the dead varies (for many are buried in their
ancestral tombs which were secured by a pledge, but those who suffer misfortune are often
buried in the graves of the homeless), those who received payment in exchange for the blood of
Jesus used it to acquire a potter’s field for the purpose of having a place in which to bury those
foreigners who could not supply a pledge to secure a proper tomb. If it is suitable to interpret
these foreigners typologically, we can consider those persons to be foreigners who remained
strangers to God until the end and alien to his covenants. Vagabonds such as these meet their end
buried in a potter’s field, acquired with blood money. The righteous are able to say, “We are
buried with Christ in a new tomb cut from the rock in which no dead body had yet been laid,”
but those foreigners who remain finally estranged from Christ and alien to God will have to say,
“We are buried with strangers in the field which is called the ‘Field o f Blood.
This is amazing! The killers say ‘what is that to us?’ they ask of him who received the
price for the crime to see for himself. As for them, His killers, they did not have to see. They
then tell themselves “It is not lawful to put it in the treasury is considered sinful, how much more
would the shedding of blood be? And if you see a pretext for crucifying Christ, then why do you
refuse to accept the price ?”
Why have they bought it? So as to use it as a graveyard for strangers. We are the ones
making use of it, for it was bought for our sake with the blood of Jesus for its price.”
St. Jerome785
782 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, Homily 85.3, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, pp. 508-509.
783 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 117, AACS, v. lb, p. 274.
784 An Excerpt from Fr. Tadros Commentary on Matthew.
785 Ibid.
Page 393
The field according to the divine words, is the entire present world (Matt 13:36). The
price of the blood is the price for the Lord’s suffering, who has bought the world with the price
of His blood so as to save it, (Jn. 3:17), He came to keep those who are buried with Christ and
have died with Him in the baptism (Rom. 6:4,8; Col.2:12) so as to obtain the eternal blessings.
Instead of living as strangers under the law, they have become close by means of the blood of
Jesus (Eph. 2:11-13).
St. Ambrose786
H o m ily of S a in t J ohn C hryso sto m 787

For the love of money is a dreadful, dreadful thing. It disables both eyes and ears; makes
men worse to deal with than a wild beast; and allows a man to consider neither conscience, nor
friendship, nor fellowship, nor the salvation of his own soul. But having withdrawn them at once
from all these things, like some harsh mistress, it makes those captured by it its slaves. And the
dreadful part of so hitter a slavery is, that it persuades them even to be grateful for it; and the
more they become enslaved, the more does their pleasure increase; and in this way especially the
malady becomes incurable, in this way the monster becomes hard to conquer.
This made Gehazi a leper instead of a disciple and a prophet; this destroyed Ananias and
her with him; this made Judas a traitor; this corrupted the rulers of the Jews, who received gifts,
and became the partners of thieves. This has brought in ten thousand wars, filling the ways with
blood, the cities with waitings and lamentations. This has made meals to become impure, and
tables accursed, and has filled food with transgression.
Therefore Paul has called it "idolatry ” (Col. 3:5), and not even so has he deterred men
from it. And why does he call it “idolatry”? Many possess wealth, and dare not use it, but
consecrate it, handing it down untouched, not daring to touch it, as though it were some
dedicated thing. And if at any time they are forced to do so, they feel as though they had done
something unlawful. Besides, as the Greek carefully tends his graven image, so you entrust your
gold to doors and bars; providing a chest instead of a shrine, and laying it up in silver vessels.
But you do not bow down to it as he to the image? Yet you show all kind of attention to it.
Again, he would rather give up his eyes or his life than his graven image. So also would
those who love gold. “But,” one says, “I do not worship the gold.” Neither does he, he says,
worship the image, but the devil that dwells in it; and in like manner you, though you do not
worship the gold, yet you worship that devil who springs on your soul, from the sight of the gold
and you lust for it. For more grievous than an evil spirit is the lust of money-loving, and many
obey it more than others do idols. For these last in many things disobey, but in this case they
yield everything, and whatever it tells them to do, they obey. What does it say? “Be at war with
all, ” it says, “at enmity with all, know not nature, despise God, sacrifice to me yourself,” and in
all they obey. To the graven images they sacrifice oxen and sheep, but avarice says, Sacrifice to
me your own soul, and the man obeys. See what kind of altars it has, what kind of sacrifices it
receives? The covetous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, but not even so do they fear (1
Cor. 6:10). Yet this desire is weaker than all the others, it is not inborn, nor natural (for then it
would have been placed in us at the beginning). But there was no gold at the beginning, and no
man desired gold. But if you will, I will tell you whence the mischief entered.
By each man’s envying the one before him, men have increased the disease, and he who
has gotten in advance provokes him who had no desire. For when men see splendid houses, and
787 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 65 on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14. Although only an excerpt of this homily was
chosen as the homily of this hour, we have included all in this passage for the benefit of the reader.
Page 394
extensive lands, and troops of slaves, and silver vessels, and great heaps of apparel, they use
every means to outdo them; so that the first set of men are causes of the second, and these of
those who come after. Now if they would be sober-minded, they would not be teachers (of evil)
to others; yet neither have these any excuse. For others there are also who despise riches. “And
who,” says one, “despises them?”
For the terrible thing is, that, because wickedness is so general, this seems to have
become impossible, and it is not even believed that one can act aright. Shall I then mention many
both in cities and in the mountains? And what would it avail? You will not from their example
become better. Besides, our discourse has not now this purpose, that you should empty
yourselves of your substance: I would that you could do so; however, since the burden is too
heavy for you, I constrain you not; only I advise you that you desire not what belongs to others,
thaôu impart somewhat of your own. Many such we shall find, contented with what belongs to
them, taking care of their own, and living on honest labor. Why do we not rival and imitate
these?
Let us think of those who have gone before us. Do not their possessions stand, preserving
nothing but their name; such an one’s bath, such an one’s suburban seat and lodging? Do we not,
when we behold them, straightway groan, when we consider what toil he endured, what rapine
committed? and now he is nowhere seen, but others luxuriate in his possessions, men whom he
never expected would do so, perhaps even his enemies, while he is suffering extreme
punishment. These things await us also; for we shall certainly die, and shall certainly have to
submit to the same end. How much wrath, tell me, how much expense, how many enmities these
men incurred; and what the gain? Deathless punishment, and the having no consolation; and the
being not only while alive, but when gone, accused by all? What? when we see the images of the
many laid up in their houses, shall we not weep the more? Of a truth well said the Prophet,
“ Verily, every man living disquiets himself in vain ” (Ps. 39:11); for anxiety about such things is
indeed disquiet, disquiet and superfluous trouble. But it is not so in the everlasting mansions, not
so in those tabernacles. Here one has labored, and another enjoys; but there each shall possess his
own labors, and shall receive a manifold reward. Let us press forward to get that possession,
there let us prepare for ourselves houses, that we may rest in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom
to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Are You King of ike Jem?
Do you see what He is first asked? Is this the same charge that they had been continually
bringing forward at every circumstance? Since they saw Pilate making no account of the matters
of the law, they direct their accusation to the state charges. So likewise did they in the case of the
apostles, ever bringing forward these things, and saying that they were going about proclaiming
king one Jesus, speaking as of a mere man, and investing them with a suspicion of usurpation.
Whence it is manifest, that both the rending the garment and the amazement were a
pretense. But all things they got up, and plied, in order to bring Him to death.
This at any rate Pilate then asked. What then said Christ? “You have said. ” He confessed
that He was a king, but a heavenly king, which elsewhere also He spoke more dearly, replying to
Pilate, “My kingdom is not o f this world;” [John 18:36] that neither they nor this man should
have an excuse for accusing Him of such things. And He gives a reason that cannot be gainsaid,
saying, “I f I were o f this world, my servants would fight, that I should not be delivered. ” For this
purpose I say, in order to refute this suspicion, He both paid tribute, and commanded others to
pay it, and when they would make Him a king, He fled.
788 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, Homily 86.1, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, p. 511.
Page 395
The Fake Charges
They say, “We no longer need any testimony, ” as begin the hearers of Christ’s words.
What had they heard Him say? O vile and senseless people, you wanted to learn if He was the
Christ! He taught you that by nature and in truth He is the Son of God the father and he shares
the throne of Deity with Him. As you confessed, you now have no need of testimony, because
you have heard Him speak. You might now have learned best that He is the Christ. This would
have proved for you the pathway to faith, had you only been one of those who would know the
truth. Making even the pathway of salvation an occasion for their soul’s ruin, they do not
understand...
You say, “We found this man perverting our people. ” Tell us in what this perversion
consisted? Christ taught repentance; where did He forbid giving tribute to Caesar? He said,
“Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s. ” [Matt.
22:17] Where then did He forbid giving tribute to Caesar? Their only purpose was to bring
down to death the One who was raising them to life. This was the goal of their strategy, the
shameful deeds they planned, of the falsehood they invented, and the bitter words running from
their wicked tongues. The law still loudly proclaims to you, “You shall not bear false witness
against your neighbor. ” [Ex. 20:16] and “The holy and the just you shall not kill. ” [Ex. 23:7]
Why didn yt He defend Himself? Why was He silent?790
A lamb, He is silent [Is. 53:7]—yet He is the “Word” proclaimed by the “voice o f one
crying in the wilderness” [Mat. 3:3] He is weakened, wounded [Is. 53:5]—yet He cures every
disease and every weakness. [Mat. 9:35] He is brought up to the tree [1 Pet. 2:4] and nailed to it
[John 19:17-18]—yet by the Tree of Life He restores us. [Gen. 2:9, 3:22; Rev. 2:7]
The Lord became defender of truth, and came in silence before Pilate, on behalf of truth
which had been oppressed [John 18:37-38]. Others gain victory through making defenses, but
our Lord gained victory through His silence, because the recompense of His death through divine
silence was the victory of true teaching. He spoke in order to teach, but kept silent in the
tribunal. He was not silent over that which was exalting us, but He did not struggle against those
who were provoking Him. The worlds of His accusers, like a crown on His head, were a source
of redemption. He kept silent so that His silence would me them shout even louder, and so that
His crown would be made more beautiful through all this clamor.
He is the One Who, although He was silent in His passion, will not be silent finally in the
day of reckoning. He is our God, even if unrecognized. He is already known among the faithful
789 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 150, pp. 597, 602
790 For more on the silence of Christ, see comments on the 11th hour of the Eve of Great Friday, above.
791 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 29 on the Son, 20, AACS, lb, p. 223.
792 St. Ephram the Syrian CTD v. 2, p. 301, AACS, v. 2, p. 223.
Page 396
and all who believe. When He comes manifesting Himself in His Second Coming, He will not
be silent. For although he was formerly hidden in humility, He will come manifested in power.
St. Cyprian793
Wherefore then did he not bring forward these things, it may be said, at that time, when
accused of usurpation? Because having the proofs from His acts, of His power, His meekness,
His gentleness, beyond number, they were willfully blind, and dealt unfairly, and the tribunal
was corrupt. For these reasons then He replies to nothing, but holds His peace, yet answering
briefly (so as not to get the reputation of arrogance from continual silence) when the high priest
adjured Him, when the governor asked, but in reply to their accusations He no longer says
anything; for He was not now likely to persuade them. Even as the prophet declaring this self
same thing from of old, said, “In His humiliation His judgment was taken away. ”
He was silent, and quietly endured everything...to teach us all meekness and long-
suffering. Let us now imitate Him. For not only did He now hold His peace, but even came
among them again, and being questioned answered and showed the things relating to His
foreknowledge. Although He was called “demon-possessed” and “a madman,” by men who had
received from Him ten thousand benefits many times, not only did He refrain from avenging
Himself, but even He did not ceased not to benefit them..[for] He laid down His life for them,
and while being crucified spoke in their behalf to His Father. This then let us also imitate, for to
be a disciple of Christ, is the being gentle and kind. But how can this gentleness come to us? If
we continually ponder our sins, if we mourn, if we weep
It might seem remarkable, I say, brothers, that the Savior should be accused and should
remain silent. Silence is occasionally understood as avowal, of when a person does not wish to
respond to what is asked of Him he appears to confirm what is raised against Him. Does the
Lord then confirm his accusation by not speaking? Clearly He does not confirm His accusation
by not speaking; rather He despises it by not refuting it. For one who needs no defense does well
to keep silent, but let one who fears to be overcome defend himself and one who is afraid of
being defeated hasten to speak. When Christ is condemned, however, He also overcomes, and
when He is judged He also defeats, as the prophet says, “That You may be found just when You
speak, And blameless when You judge. ” [Ps 51:4, 50:6, LLX] why was it necessary for Him
therefore to speak before being judged, when for Him judgment was a complete victory?
Maximus of Turin796
They accuse the Lord and He stands mute. [Matt. 27:12, 14]. The One that does not lack
a defense is suitably mute. Let those who fear to being overcome seek a defense. By remaining
silent, he does not confirm the accusation. By not refuting it, He despises it. A special attribute
of Christ is that among wicked judges He seemed to have been unwilling rather than unable to be
defended. The Lord explained why He would remain silent, saying, “I f I should tell you, you
will not believe Me; and if I should also ask you, you will not answer Me. ” [John 5:46-47] it is
793 St. Cyprian, the Good of Patience, FC v. 36, p. 286, AACS, 2, 334.
795 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 60 on the Gospel of John, NPNF, s. 1, vl4.
796 Maximus of Turin, Sermons 57.1, AACS lb, pp. 277-278.
Page 397
extraordinary that He chose to prove Himself a king, rather than speak, so that those who confess
what they taunt would have no grounds for condemnation.
When Herod wanted to see Him work wonders, He was silent and performed none
because Herod’s cruelty did not merit to behold the divine and the Lord shunned boasting.
Perhaps Herod prefigures all the impious, who if they did not believe in the law and the prophets
cannot see the miraculous works of Christ in the gospel either.
Pilate Amazed
At these things the governor marveled, and indeed it was worthy of admiration to see
Him showing such great patience, and holding His peace, Him that had countless things to say.
For neither did they accuse Him from knowing of any evil thing in Him, but from jealousy and
envy only. At least when they had set false witness, wherefore, having nothing to say, did they
still urge their point? and when they saw Judas was dead, and that Pilate had washed his hands of
it, why were they not pricked with remorse. For indeed He did many things even at the very
time, that they might recover themselves, but by none were they amended.
Why wrn m r Lard wearing white?
It is significant that Jesus is clothed in a white garment by Herod. It denotes His sinless
passion, because the Lamb of God without stain and with glory accepted the sins of the world.
[John 1:29] Herod and Pilate, who became friends instead of enemies through Jesus Christ,
symbolize the peoples of Israel and the Gentiles, since the future harmony of both follows from
the Lord’s passion. [Eph. 2:13] Firs the people of the nations capture the Word of God and bring
it to the people of the Jews, through the devotion of their faith. They clothe with glory the body
of Christ, Whom they had previously despised.
Now our Lord is wearing the white garments, but in the next hour, they shall be crimson,
reddened by the our sins and stained by our iniquities.
797 St. Ambrose of Milan, Exposition on the Gospel of Luke, 10. 97-99; AACS, v. 2, pp. 353-354.
799 St. Ambrose of Milan, Exposition on the Gospel of Luke, 10.103, AACS, v. 2, p. 354.
Th i r p H o u r
"V ia Do l o ro sa " - the W ay o f Suffering
Gen. 48:1-19; Is. 50:4-9, 3:9-15, 63:1-7; Job 29:21-30:10;800

Ps. 37:17,21:16;
Matt. 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-25; Luke 23:13-25; John 19:1-12
The third hour begins the painful torment of Lamb. After Pilate washes His hands, the
soldiers took Him into the common hall, paraded around Him, stripped Him and divided His
garments. All of this was prophesied about in Psalm 22:17, “They look and stare at Me. They
divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots. ”801 They dressed Him in a
scarlet robe, platted a crown of thorns, and placed a reed in His hand.
Great Friday is a day of pain and sorrows. But St. Paul reminds us of the need for a
Christian to “not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. ” (Phil. 1:29). By actively
participating in the Holy Pascha Week, through fasting, prayer and repentance we suffer for His
sake. Suffering is a gift from God, bestowed upon us so that we can experience inner joy and
strength in the death of Christ, thereby capturing the quiet endurance of the saints. Through
meditation of the Cross, we witness His Divine Love for us. “Greater love has no man than this,
that a man lay down His life for His friends. ” There are various early Christian hymns which
proclaim the meaning of Christ’s death on the cross for the life of the world.
This hour contains five main prophesies (and one prophesy of Amos that this in some
Pascha books). The remaining prophesies directly predict the sufferings of our Lord in this hour.
800 Also some books include Amos 9:5, 6, 9,10 , but we have neither included nor commented on this passage here
since it is not found in many other books.
801 Psalm 22 is the most specifically prophetic psalm of Christ’s Passion in the entire Psalter. It makes no sense
apart from its fulfillment in Christ’s suffering and death. (Orthodox Study Bible, p. 651).
Page 399
Old Testament Prophesy New Testament Fulfillment

1 Genesis 48:1-19—Jacob blesses The mystery of the Cross and its blessing
Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. upon the Jews and the Christians.
2 Is. 50— “/ gave My back to those who Mark 15:15— “and he delivered Jesus,
struck Me, And My cheeks to those who after he had scourged Him, to be
plucked out the beard; I did not hide My crucified. ”
face from shame and spitting. ” John 19:3— “Then they said, “Hail, King
o f the Jews!” And they struck Him with
their hands. ”
3 Is. 3— “And they declare their sin as Matt. 27:24-25— '7 am innocent o f the
Sodom; They do not hide it. Woe to their blood o f this just Person. You see to it. ”
soul! For they have brought evil upon And all the people answered and said,
themselves. ” “His blood be on us and on our children. ”
4 Is. 63— “I have trodden the winepress Matt. 27:22-25— “Why, what evil has He
alone, And from the peoples no one was done?” But they cried out all the more,
with Me. For I have trodden them in My saying, “Let Him be crucified! ” And all
anger, And trampled them in My fury; the people answered and said, “His blood
Their blood is sprinkled upon My be on us and on our children. ”
garments, And I have stained all My
robes. ”
5 Job 29— “But now they mock at Mark 15:17-20— “And they clothed Him
me... They abhor me, they keep fa r from
with purple; and they twisted a crown o f
me; They do not hesitate to spit in my
thorns, put it on His head...Then they
face. ” struck Him on the head with a reed and
spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they
worshiped Him. ”
6 Psalm 21— “The congregation o f the John 19:17-37— “And He, bearing His
wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced cross, went out to a place called the Place
My hands and My feet. ” o f a Skull, which is called in Hebrew,
Golgotha, where they crucified Him...But
one o f the soldiers pierced His side with a
spear...For these things were done that
the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one
o f His bones shall be broken. ” And again
another Scripture says, “They shall look
on Him whom they pierced. ”
Page 400
G e n esis 4 8:1-19
Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, “Indeed your father is sick”; and he took with
him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Ând Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you”; and
Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed. ^Then Jacob said to Joseph: “God Almighty appeared to me at
Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, ând said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I
will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting
possession.’ Ând now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were bom to you in the land of Egypt before I
came to you in Egypt, are my; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be my. ^Your offspring whom you beget after
them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. ^But as for me, when I
came from Padan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was but a little distance to
go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”
^Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?” Ând Joseph said to his father, “They are my
sons, whom God has given me in this place. ” And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.” ^ N o w
the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed
them and embraced them. **And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also
shown me your offspring!” ^ S o Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face
to the earth. Â nd Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and
Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. ^T h en Israel stretched
out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head,
guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. Â n d he blessed Joseph, and said:
“God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to
this day, ^ T h e Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And
the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
^ N o w when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he
took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. ^ A n d Joseph said to his
father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” ^ B u t his father refused and
said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger
brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”
As the two sons of Isaac - Esau and Jacob were used as symbols of the Jew and Christian
peoples...the same thing happened concerning Joseph’s two sons; the older one became a symbol
of the Jews, and the younger of the Christians
St. Augustine
O You Light, which Tobias saw, when, his eyes being closed, he taught his son the way
of life; himself going before with the feet of charity, never going astray. [Tobit 4] Or that which
Isaac saw, when his fleshly “eyes were dim, so that he could not see ” by reason of old age; it
was permitted him, not knowingly to bless his sons, but in blessing them to know them. Or that
which Jacob saw, when he too, blind through great age, with an enlightened heart, in the persons
of his own sons, threw light upon the races of the future people, presignified in them; and laid his
hands, mystically crossed, upon his grandchildren by Joseph, not as their father, looking
outwardly, corrected them, but as he himself distinguished them. [Gen. 48:13-19].
St. Augustine802
802 St. Augustine, Confessions, Book 10, Ch. 34, NPNF, s. 1, v. 1.
Page 401
Here too the cross is clearly symbolized to depict that mystery with which Israel the
The Holy Pascha
firstborn departed, just as Manasseh the firstborn, and the peoples increase in the manner of
Ephraim the younger.
When this very Jacob was about to bless Manasseh and Ephraim, the sons of Joseph, with
his hands placed across on the heads of the lads.. .he had called [on] God.. .to “bless these lads. ”
...[Jacob placed] his hands crossed upon the lads, as if their father was Christ, and showing,
from thus placing his hands, the figure and future form of the passion. Let no one, therefore, who
does not shrink from speaking of Christ as an Angel, thus shrink from pronouncing Him God
also, when he perceives that He Himself was invoked in the blessing of these lads, by the
sacrament of the passion, intimated in the type of the crossed hands, as both God and Angel.
Novatian804
[Jacob’s] vision became so dim that he could not see Ephraim and Manasseh, although
with the inner eye and the prophetic spirit he could foresee the distant future and the Christ that
was to come of his royal line.
St. Jerome805
All that have been raised were not first bom; for our Lord is the First-born of Sheol. How
can any that is dead go before Him, that power whereby he was raised? There are last that are
first, and younger that have become first-born. For though Manasseh was first-born, how could it
be that Ephraim should take the birthright? And if the second bom was set before him, how
much rather shall the Lord and Creator prevent all in His Resurrection!
Is a ia h 50:4~9
“The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in
season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned. ^The
Lord God has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away.
6I gave M y b ack to those w ho stru ck Me, A nd M y cheeks to those w ho p lucked out the beard; I did
not hide M y face from sham e and spitting.
7”For the Lord God will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a
flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed. %He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand
together. W ho is M y adversary? L et him com e near M e. ^Surely the Lord God will help Me; Who is he who will
condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is an example to teach us how to bear sufferance. By
His own will He allowed them to lead Him - the all goodness - to death. Following His example,
we can trample over serpents, scorpions, and all powers of the enemy.
You may say, ‘The enemy is horrible and dangerous; he cannot be opposed...’ Look at
803 St. Ephram the Syrian, Commentary on Genesis, 41.4, FC v. 91, p. 199; AACS OT, v. 2, p. 316.
804 Novatian, Treatise on the Trinity, Ch. 19, ANF, v. 5.
805 St. Jerome, Letter 68.1, NPNF, s. 2, v. 6.
806 St. Ephram the Syrian, the Nisebene Hymns, 38.7, NPNF, s. 2, v. 18.
807 St. Athanasius the Apostolic, Paschal Letters, 8, NPNF, s. 2, v. 4.
Page 402
him again, and compare him with another image, to learn how to despise him. All accusations,
insults, rebukes, ridicules, and plans of the enemies, are like a garment eaten by the moths (Is.
50: 9)... Now, do not let any of this trouble you; stop seeking help from this or that; do not chase
shadows. But insistently seek Jesus whom you serve; With a little bow of His head, all evils will
come to an end.
For me, my Lord, You did not hide Your face from shame and spitting... You came to
slaughtering like a lamb, even to the cross...
The Liturgy of St. Gregory
You ignorant, how did you dare to spit on His face? H6w did your tongue dare? How did
the earth bear to watch that scene? How horrible and amazing for man to see the wax spits on
flame! That also happened because of Adam, who was worthy of being spat on. Instead of the
slave who sinned, the Master Himself bore all that shame! He offered His face to receive
spitting, as He promised in the book of Isaiah not to hide His face from shame of spitting!
Mar Jacob El-Serougui809
As to saying, “to demonstrate His righteousness ” He means, not only being righteous,
but to make of those covered by soars of the filthy sin righteous. Therefore do not doubt... Do not
reject the righteousness of God, which is not through works (of Law), but through the (living)
faith, that is easy and open to all.
I wish we do not walk in the light of our own fire (Is. 50: 11), and in the sparks we have
kindled. I know of a purified fire, sent by Christ on the earth (Luke 12: 49). He Himself
symbolically seemed as a fire that would consume all our bad habits; that fire He wishes to
kindle swiftly, yearning to hasten us to do goodness.
Isaiah 3?9-l5
The look on their countenance witnesses against them, And they declare their sin as Sodom; They do not
hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves.
10”Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, For they shall eat the fruit of their doings. 1*Woe to
the wicked! It shall be ill with him, For the reward of his hands shall be given him.
12As fo r My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who
lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths.”
13The L o r d stands up to plead, And stands to judge the people. ^ T h e L o r d will enter into judgment
With the elders of His people And His princes: “For you have eaten up the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in
your houses. *^What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the faces of the poor?” Says the Lord G o d
ofhosts.
Indeed your hand is raised to do evil. You have killed Christ and did not repent. You
steal as much as you can, hate and kill those who believe in Him, and in God the Father of all;
and still curse us, and those who take our side for no reason. As for us, we pray for your sake,
808 St. John Chrysostom, Letter to Olympias, 1:2, NPNF, s. 1, v. 9.

809 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Divine Love, p. 424. (Arabic)
810 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Divine Love, pp. 424-5. (Arabic)
811 St. John Chrysostom, Oration on the Holy Baptism 40:36, NPNF, s. 1, v. 9.
Page 403
and for the sake of all mankind, as we were taught by Christ, the Lord, who instructed us to pray
even for our enemies, and to love those who hate and curse us
St. Justin Martyr812 (commenting on verse 9)
They tied up Jesus, and brought Him to the Hall of the high priest. Do you want to know
that this had been written and prophesied? Of which Isaiah says, “Woe to their soul, for they
have brought evil upon themselves, saying, Let us tie up the righteous for he causes us trouble. ”
Isaiah 63:1-7
Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His
apparel, Traveling in the greatness of His strength?--’! who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
^Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?
3”I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden
them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have
stained all My robes.
^For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come. ^1 looked, but there
was no one to help, And I wondered That there was no one to uphold; Therefore My own arm brought salvation for
Me; And My own fury, it sustained Me. ^1 have trodden down the peoples in My anger, Made them drunk in My
fury, And brought down their strength to the earth.”
win mention the lovingkindnesses of the L o rd And the praises of the L o rd , According to all that the
L o r d has bestowed on us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has bestowed on them
according to His mercies, According to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses.
He did a marvelous ordinance for the suffering body that was adorned with passion and
glorified with Deity. There is nothing more sweet and beautiful.
In Isaiah also the Holy Spirit testifies this same thing concerning the Lord’s passion,
saying, “Wherefore are Your garments red, and Your apparel as from the treading o f the wine
press full and well trodden?” Can water make garments red? or is it water in the wine-press
which is trodden by the feet, or pressed out by the press? Assuredly, therefore, mention is
made of wine, that the Lord’s blood may be understood, and that which was afterwards
manifested in the cup of the Lord might be foretold by the prophets who announced it. The
treading also, and pressure of the wine-press, is repeatedly dwelt on; because just as the drinking
of wine cannot be attained to unless the bunch of grapes be first trodden and pressed, so neither
could we drink the blood of Christ unless Christ had first been trampled upon and pressed, and
had first drunk the cup of which He should also give believers to drink.
St. Cyprian815
Next turning to the right she passed from Bethzur to Eshcol which means “a cluster of
grapes.” It was hence that the spies brought back that marvelous cluster which was the proof of
the fertility of the land and a type of Him who says of Himself: “I have trodden the wine press
alone; and of the people there was none with Me. ”
St. Jerome816
m St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 133, ANF, v. 1.

813 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 13:12, FC, v. 61.
814 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Oration On Easter, 35. NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.
815 St. Cyprian, Epistle 62.7 ANF, v. 5.
816 St. Jerome, Letter 108.11 [About Paula], NPNF, s. 2, v. 6.
Page 404
I am baffled with this great prophet Isaiah. He has seen by inspiration the passions of the
Savior who is the logos of God. He said, “Who is He who comes from Adam, His clothes are
red, and He is dressed in a magnificent robe; His mantle is from red blood as one who comes up
from the press, and His clothes are stained by the blood o f its vines. ” Truly these are the words
of this prophet who revealed this before these days. Truly, he is the logos of God, our Savior,
Jesus. He wore the old flesh of Adam, the first creation. The sublime Divinity united with
humanity (without mixing nor change). An immutable mantle united with God the Logos. He
inflicted His wrath on the Hebrews and trampled over them in the press of His anger. He granted
His mercy and grace to the Gentiles whom He made a new people. As for Israel, his foolishness
will prevail on him forever.
Exposition of the Third Hour of Great Friday
J o b 2 9 *2 1 * 39*10
“Men listened to me and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. ^ A fte r my wor<}s they did not speak
again, And my speech settled on them as dew. ^ x h e y waited for me as for the rain, And they opened their mouth
wide as for the spring rain. ^ I f l mocked at them, they did not believe it, And the light of my countenance they did
not cast down. ^5j chose the way for them, and sat as chief; So I dwelt as a king in the army, As one who
comforts mourners.
30:1’’But now they mock at me, men younger than I, Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of
my flock. Îndeed, what profit is the strength of their hands to me? Their vigor has perished. ^They are gaunt from
want and famine, Fleeing late to the wilderness, desolate and waste, ^Who pluck mallow by the bushes, And broom
tree roots fo r their food. ->They were driven out from among men, They shouted at them as at a thief. ^They had to
live in the clefts of the valleys, In caves of the earth and the rocks. Âmong the bushes they brayed, Under the
nettles they nestled. ^They were sons of fools, Yes, sons of vile men; They were scourged from the land.
9”And now I am their taunting song; Yes, I am their byword. 10They abhor me, they keep far from
me; They do not hesitate to spit in my face.
PSALM 3 7 : 1 7 * 2.1:16
For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me.
For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My
hands and My feet.”
Quite a magnificent expression; as if He were saying, “It was even for this that I was
bom; that I might suffer.” For He was not to be bom, but from Adam, to whom the scourge is
due. But sinners are in this life sometimes not scourged at all, or are scourged less than their
deserts: because the wickedness of their heart is given over as already desperate. Those,
however, for whom eternal life is prepared, must needs be scourged in this life: for that sentence
is true: “My son, faint not under the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary when you art
rebuked of Him.” “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He
receives. ” Let not my enemies therefore insult over me; let “them not magnify themselves; ” and
if my Father scourges me, “I am prepared for the scourge;” because there is an inheritance in
store for me. You wilt not submit to the scourge: the inheritance is not bestowed upon you. For
“every son” must needs be scourged. So true it is that “every son” is scourged, that He spared not
even Him who had no sin. For “I am prepared for the scourges.”
St. Augustine817
Page 405
But, perhaps, having heard the prophecy of His death, you ask to learn also what is set
forth concerning the Cross. For not even this is passed over: it is displayed by the holy men with
great clarity. First Moses predicts [His death]...then, the prophets after him witness of
this... ’’They pierced my hands and my feet, they numbered all my bones, they parted my
garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots. ”
Now a death raised aloft and that takes place on a tree, could be none other than the
Cross: and again, in no other death are the hands and feet pierced, except on the Cross
only...[for] who among those recorded in Scripture was pierced in the hands and feet, or
hung at all upon a tree, and was sacrificed on a cross for the salvation of all? For Abraham
died, ending his life on a bed; Isaac and Jacob also died with their feet raised on a bed; Moses
and Aaron died on the mountain; David in his house, without being the object of any conspiracy
at the hands of the people; true, he was pursued by Saul, but he was preserved unhurt. Isaiah was
sawn asunder, but not hung on a tree. Jeremiah was shamefully treated, but did not die under
condemnation; Ezekiel suffered, not however for the people, but to indicate what was to come
upon the people.
“But He was woundedfor our iniquities” (Is.53:5), and in the Psalm He says, “They have
pierced My hands and feet, ” so that He might cure our wounds by His own wound; and “He was
bruised, ” or enfeebled, “for our crimes” (Is. 53:5), so that, having been reviled for us, He might
spare us from being reviled.
St. Jerome819
If you require still further prediction of the Lord’s cross, the twenty-first Psalm is
sufficiently able to afford it to you, containing as it does the entire passion of Christ, who was
even then prophetically declaring His glory. “They pierced my hands and my feet, ” which is the
special cruelty of the Cross. And again, when He implores His Father’s help, He says, “Save me
from the lion’s mouth, ” that is, the jaws of death, “and my humiliation from the horns o f the
unicorns; ” in other words, from the extremities of the cross, as we have shown above. Now,
David himself did not suffer this cross, nor did any other king of the Jews; so that you
cannot suppose that this is the prophecy of any other’s passion than His who alone was so
notably crucified by the nation.
Tertullian820
So also in that where Christ utters through prophecy the humiliation of His passion,
saying, “They pierced my hands andfeet; they counted all my bones. Yea, they looked and stared
at me. ” By which words he certainly meant His body stretched out on the cross, with the hands
and feet pierced and perforated by the striking through of the nails, and that He had in that way
made Himself a spectacle to those who looked and stared. And he adds, “They parted my
garments among them, and over nay vesture they cast lots.” How this prophecy has been
fulfilled the Gospel history narrates...we do not consider that these events are in the past, but
consider them as present, are beheld by the whole world, being now exhibited just as they are
read of in this very psalm as predicted so long before. As it is said a little after, “All the ends of
818 St. Athanasius the Apostolic, On the Incarnation, §§35, 37, NPNF, s. 2, v. 4.
819 St. Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah, Homily 114:53:5.
820 Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book 3, Ch. 19, ANF, v. 3.
Page 406
the earth shall remember, and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds o f the nations shall
The Holy Pascha
worship before Him; for the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He shall rule the nations. ”
St Augustine821
Zechariah also thus wrote: “And they shall look on me, whom they pierced.” [Zech.
12:10] Also David in the twenty-first Psalm: “They pierced my hands and my feet; they
numbered all my bones; they themselves looked and stared upon me; they divided my garments
among them; and upon my vesture they did cast lots. ”
It is evident that the prophet did not speak these things concerning himself. For he was a
king, and never endured these sufferings; but the Spirit of God, who was about to suffer these
things, after ten hundred and fifty years, spoke by him. For this is the number of years from the
reign of David to the crucifixion of Christ.
Lactantius822
What a marvelous and magnificent thing that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and
also the Son of man, granted to us by...combated unto salvation...even the combatants
themselves, for He also was made a spectacle Himself. He has told us Himself, and foretold it
before He was made a spectacle, and in the words of prophecy announced beforehand what was
to come to pass, as if it were already done, saying in the Psalms, “They pierced My hands and
My feet, they told all My bones. ” Behold! how He was made a spectacle, for His bones to be
told! and this spectacle He expresses more plainly, “they observed and looked upon Me. " He
was made a spectacle and an object of derision, made a spectacle by them who were to show
Him no favor indeed in that spectacle, but who were to be furious against Him, just as at first He
made His martyrs spectacles; as the Apostle says, “We are made a spectacle unto the world, and
to angels, and to men. ” [1 Cor. 4:9]...
When these things are read of in the church, you [should] behold them with pleasure with
these eyes of the heart. If you were to behold nothing, you would hear nothing; so you see you
have not neglected the spectacles today, but have made a choice of spectacles.
May God then be with you, and give you grace.. and may you, love God, of whom none
who love Him can ever be ashamed, for that they love Him who cannot be overcome... love
Christ, who when He seemed to be overcome, overcame the whole world. For He has overcome
the whole world as we see, my brethren.... [so] overcome in Him who said, “Be o f good cheer, I
have overcome the world. ” For the Captain suffered Himself to be tried, only that He might
teach His soldier to fight.
St. Augustine823
M atthew 2 7*15~2 6
Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they
wished. 16And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17Therefore, when they had gathered
together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called
Christ?” 18For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. 19While he was sitting on the judgment
seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a
dream because of Him.” Ôût the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for
Barabbas and destroy Jesus. -^The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to
release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!” 22Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called
822 Lactantius, Divine Institutes, Book 4, Ch. 18, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.
823 St. Augustine, Sermon 1.2, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6.
Page 407
Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” ^ T h en the governor said, “Why, what evil has He
done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” ^ W h e n Pilate saw that he could not
prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I
am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it. ” ^ A n d all the people answered and said, “His blood
be on us and on our children.” ^ T h e n he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he
delivered Him to be crucified.
Mark 1 5 : 6 - 2 5
Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. 7And
there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion.
^Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to Jo just as he had always done for them. ^But Pilate answered
them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” ^ F o r he knew that Ihe chief priests had
handed Him over because of envy. ^ B u t the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release
Barabbas to them. ^P ilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you
call the King of the Jews?” ^ S o they cried out again, “Crucify Him!” ^T h en Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil
has He done?” But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!” ^ S o Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released
Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.
l^Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole
garrison. 17And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, ^ an d
began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ^ T hen they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on
Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. ^ A n d when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off
Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.
Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was
coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. 22And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which
is translated, Place of a Skull. 23Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.
24And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man
should take. 25]sjow it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.
L uke 2 3 : 1 3 - 2 5
Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, ^ sa id to them, “You
have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your
presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; ^ n o , neither
did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. will
therefore chastise Him and release Him ” ^ (fo r it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast). ^ A n d
they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”-- ^ w h o had been thrown into
prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder. 20piiate? therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again
called out to them. 21 But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” 22xhen he said to them the third time,
“Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him
go.” 23]$iit they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men
and of the chief priests prevailed. 2^So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. 25And he released
to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to
their will.
J o h n 19:1~12
So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. 2And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His
head, and they put on Him a purple robe. 3Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their
hands. ^Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know
that I find no fault in Him.”
Page 408
^Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold
the Man!” ^Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify
H im !” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.” ^The Jews answered him,
“We have a law, and according to our law He should to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.” ^Therefore,
when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, ând went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus,
“Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. ^T hen Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me?
Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” H Jesus answered, “You could
have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered
Me to you has the greater sin.” ^ F ro m then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If
you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”
Barabbas or Jesus?
Barabbas represents the one who enacts dissension, war and murder in human souls; but
Jesus is the Son of God who works peace, reason, wisdom, and everything good. When the two
of them were bound humanly and bodily, the people requested that Barabbas be released.
Because of this act, they suffer continual dissention, murder and robbery. Such things afflict the
pagans from without, but the Jews, who do not believe in Jesus, from within their very souls.
Where Jesus is absent, there is dissention, strife, and war. Where Jesus is present, however, in
such a way that the people can say, “I f Christ in us, although the body is dead on account o f sin,
the spirit is alive on account o f righteousness, ” [Rom. 8:10]. [With Him], everything is good,
spiritual riches beyond measure and peace, for “He is our peace Who has made us both one. ”
[Eph. 2:14] Anything contrary to this should be recognized as the mark of Barabbas struggling
to be set free form his bondage within human souls, that is, not only in the historically sinful
Israel, considered according to the flesh, but in all who teach like it and live like it. Within
everyone who does evil, then, Barabbas is set free and Christ is bound. Within everyone who
does good, however, Christ is set free and Barabbas is bound... The crowd—truly sizable crowd
walking, as it were, on the “broad path that leads to destruction” [Matt. 7:13] sought to keep
crying out to have Barabbas released to them.
Here was their choice: Let an acknowledged criminal o free, or free one whose guilt was
still disputed. If they should choose to let the known offender go free, would it not be even more
fitting to allow the innocent to go free? For surely Jesus did not seem to them morally worse
than acknowledged murderers. But they instead chose a robber. This was not just any robber
but one who was infamous for wickedness in many murders.
The mystery of [the Jews’] future infidelity is contained in Barabbas’ very name, which
means, “son of the father.” They preferred this “son of the father” to Christ. At the instigation of
their leaders, they chose the Antichrist, a man of sin and son of the devil. [2 Thess. 2:3] they
chose the one elected for damnation over the Author of life.
824 The Scholar Origen, Commentary oh Matthew, 121, 123; AACS v. lb, pp. 279, 280.
826 Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew, 33.2, AACS lb, p. 280.
Page 409
Barabbas means “son of the father”—“bar” meaning son and "abbas ” meaning “father”.
These Jews, therefore, demanded the son of their spiritual father, the devil, but Jesus they
crucified. And to this day, there are those like them who have chosen Antichrist, the substitute
messiah, the son of their father, and have rejected Christ, the true Messiah.
What kind of people crucified the Lord of glory! Those that violently demand the death
of an innocent Man fittingly seek the release of a murderer. Wickedness has such laws as to hate
innocence and love guilt. The interpretation f the name gives the likeness of the image, cause
Barabbas means “Son of the father.” He belongs to those top whom it is said, “You are of your
father the devil.” [John 8:44] they were about to choose the Antichrist as son of their father,
rather than the Son of God.
The criminal escape; Christ was condemned., the one guilty of many crimes received a
pardon; He who had remitted the crimes of all who confess was condemned. And yet the Cross
itself also, if you reflect upon it, was a courtroom. In the middle of it stood the final judge.
St. Augustine829
The Dream
This dream was no small event. It should have been enough to stop them in their tracks
when viewed in relation to the other proofs set in other things that occurred. Why didn’t the
dream come to Pilate? Perhaps she as more worthy. Or perhaps because, even if he had seen it,
he would not have equally believed or perhaps would not have equally believed or perhaps
would to have even mentioned it. So it was providentially arranged that the wife should se it, in
order that it might become more commonly known. And note that she does not only behold the
dream but also suffers from it. One might imagine that Pilate might have been made mo
reluctant to participate in this murder, even from a feeling of sympathy toward his wife. The
time of the dream also is significant, for it happened on that very night.
[Pilate’s wife] took it upon herself to prevent her husband from passing sentence against
Jesus...Thus, you may say it is better for someone to receive bad things in a dream than to
receive them in life. Who indeed would not choose to receive bad things “in a dream” [rather
than receive them] in life [unless one deserved such things, and it were better to receive bitter
thing sin life and to receive minor troubles in a dream]?
827 Theophylact, The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew, p. 242.
828 St. Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 10.101-2, AACS v. 3, p. 355.
829 St. Augustine, Tractates on John 31.11, FC v. 88,40, AACS, v. 2, p. 225.
831 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 122, AACS, v. lb, p. 280. 1
Page 410
Pilate washed His Hands
Why then did Pilate allow Him to be sacrificed? Why didn’t he rescue Him, like the
centurion had rescued Paul? [Acts 27:1-44] For that man was too aware that he could have
pleased the Jews and that a sedition may have taken place and a riot; nevertheless he stood firm
against all these. But Pilate did not do so. He was extremely cowardly and weak. He joined in
their corruption. He did not stand firm against the bullying crowd or against the Jewish
leadership. In every way he allowed them an excuse. For they “cried out exceedingly, ” that is,
cried out the more, “Let Him be crucified. ” For they desired not only to put Him to death but
also that it should be on a trumped-up charge of iniquity. And even though the judge was
contradicting them, they continued to cry out against Him.
Pilate accepted that water in line with that prophetic saying, “I will wash my hands in
innocence ” [Psalm 25:6, LLX] that he might cleanse the works of the Gentiles by the washing of
his hands an din some way separate us from the wickedness of the Jews who cried out, “Crucify
Him!” What he intimated was this: I truly wanted to release an innocent Man, but a riot is
breaking out and the charge of treason against Caesar has been brought against me. So “I am
innocent o f the blood o f this just Man. ”
The judge who was induced to pass judgment against the Lord does not condemn the
defendant but puts the blame on the plaintiffs. He declares Him to be a just Man who was meant
to be crucified. “See to it yourselves, ” he says. “I am the administrator of the laws. It is
according to your word that His Blood is being shed.”
St. Jerome833
Pilate washed his hands as if to be clean of defilement, but his thoughts were evil. For he
called Jesus a righteous Man and yet handed Him over to murderers.
“Your blmd be upon on us and our children .”

What do they do? When they saw the judge washing his hands saying, “I am innocent, ”
they cried out, “His blood be on us and our children. ” They were rendering a sentence against
themselves. He was yielding Himself up that all should be done. Note how great their madness
is—for passion and evil desire work on us like this. They did not permit anyone to see anything
of what was right. They not only curse themselves, they draw down the curse upon their own
children as well. They acted with unutterable madness. They acted both against themselves and
against their children! Yet the Love of Mankind did not hold their own sentence against them.
He did not confirm it upon their children or even upon them. Rather, He received both from
them and from their children who repented. He counted them worthy of the good things beyond
number. Think of who might have been among them! Even Paul, perhaps. Even some among
the thousands that believed in Jerusalem, for it is said, “You see, brothers, how many thousands
834 Theophylact, TGM, p. 242.
Page 411
there are among the Jews o f those who have believed. ” [Acts 21:20] And if some continued in
their sin, to themselves let them impute their punishment.
Mis Suffering
The daughter of Zion repaid Him with evil for the immensity of His Grace. The Father
had washed her from her blood, but she defiled His Son with her spitting. [Ezek. 16:9; Matt.
26:67; Mk 14:65]. The Father had clothed her with fine linen and purpose, but she clothed
Him with garments of mockery [Ezek. 16:10; Matt. 27:28; Mk 15:17]. He had placed crown
of glory on her head, but she plaited a crown of thorns for Him [Ezek. 16:12; Matt. 27:29;
Mk 15:17; Jn 19:2]. He had nourished her with choicest food and honey but she gave Him
gall [Ezek. 16:13, Mt. 27:34]. He had given her pure wine, but she offered Him vinegar in a
sponge [Jn 19:29]. The One who had put shoes on her feet, she made hasten barefoot
towards Golgotha [Ezek. 16:10; Mt. 27:33; Mk. 15:22, Jn 19:17]. The One who had girded
her loins with sapphire, she pierced in the side with a spear. [Ezek. 16:10-11, Jn 19:34].
When she had outraged the servants [of God] and killed the prophets, she was led into captivity
to Babylon, and when the time of her punishment was completed, her return [from captivity]
took place.
Why did Pilate have Jesus whipped? Either as one presumably condemned or to please
the crowd, or as if he were willing to give their judgment some sort of standard legal expression.
And yet he thought to have resisted them. For indeed even before this he had said, “Take Him
yourselves and judge Him by your own law. ” [John 18:31] There were many reasons that Pilate
and the others might have held back: the signs and the miracles, the great patience of the One
who was suffering these things, and above all His benign silence. For since both by His defense
of Himself and by His prayers, He had shown His humanity, again He now shows His glory and
836 St. Ephram the Syrian, CTD, 20.11, pp. 292-6; AACS v. 2, pp. 210-211.
Page 412
the greatness of His nature, both by His silence and by His indifference to what they said. This
The Holy Pascha
might have led them to marvel. But neither Pilate nor the crowd takes sufficient note of these
evidences.
Jesus was handed over took the soldiers for scourging, and their whips did the work on
that most sacred Body and that Bosom which held God. This came about so th a t, in keeping
with the words “many cords o f sins ” and with the whipping of Jesus we might be free from
scourging. As holy Scripture says to the just man, “The whip did not draw near to your
tabernacle. ” [Ps. 90:10]
St. Jerome838
He who has given the food of heaven was fed with gall [Mt 27:34]; He who has
offered us the cup of salvation was given vinegar to drink. [Mt. 27:48; Mk. 15:36; Lk. 23:36]
He the innocent, He the just—no rather, innocence itself and justice itself is counted among
criminals [Mt. 27:38; Mk. 15:27; Lk. 23:33; Jn. 19:18]; and truth is concealed by false
testimonies. He who is to judge is judged and the Word of God, silent, is led to the Cross.
The elements are disturbed, the earth trembles, night blots out the day [Mt. 27:45,51; Mk.
15:33; Lk. 23:44].
“The sun withdraws both its rays” [Mt. 27:45] and its eyes lest it be forced to gaze upon
the crime of the people. Though the stars are confounded at the crucifixion of the Lord, He does
not speak, nor is He moved, nor does He proclaim His majesty, even during the suffering itself.
He endures all things even to ht end with constant perseverance so that in Christ a full and
perfect patience may find its realization...
He Himself suffered the lash, in Whose Name His servants now scourge the devil and his
angels. He who now crowns the martyrs with eternal garlands was Himself crowned with thorns.
...He who now gives true palms to victors was beaten in the face with hostile palms; He who
clothes all other with the garment of immortality was stripped of His earthly garment.
St. Cyprian839
They “clothed Him in purple ” in mockery; yet ironically it was a fulfillment of prophesy,
for He was indeed a king. Even their parody indirectly served divine revelation. Even though
they did it in a spirit of derision, still they did it, and His regal dignity was by that symbolically
heralded. So, likewise, though it was with thorns they crowned Him, it was still a crown.
Hear therefore also what follows. For after “they had mocked Him, they led Him to
crucify Him, ” it is said, and when they had stripped Him, they took His garments, and sat down
and watched Him, when He should die. And they divide His garments amongst them, which sort
of thing is done in the case of very vile and abject criminals, and such as have no one belonging
to them, and are in utter desolation. They parted the garments, by which such great miracles
were done. But they wrought none now, Christ restraining His unspeakable power. And this was
no small addition of insult. For as to one base and abject, as I said, and the vilest of all men; so
839 St. Cyprian, the Good of Patience, 7, FC v. 36, p. 270, AACS, v. 2, p. 225.
840 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Sermon on the Paralytic, 12, FC, v. 64, p. 217, AACS v. 2, p. 226.
Page 413
do they dare to do all things. To the thieves at any rate they did nothing of the kind, but to Christ
they dare it all. And they crucified Him in the midst of them, that He might share in their
reputation.
He went away carrying His Cross...What a great scene—the King carrying the tree of
punishment instead of the rod of a king. He carried the cross upon His shoulders like a shining
candle instead of putting it under a bushel.
St. Augustine.
Pilate had Him whipped, either to gratify the people or else to show that it was he himself
who had condemned Christ, and to make it appear that they were not about ho crucify an
innocent Man, but rather One who was dishonorable. This was fulfilled this prophesy of Isaiah
as well, “I gave My back to scourges.” [Is. 50:6]
841 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, pp. 1083-1084.
842 The Blessed Theophylact, TGM, p. 242.
Page 414
Sixth H our
T he C rucifixion
Num. 21:1-9; Is. 53:7-12; Is. 12:2-13:10; Amos 8:9-12
Gal. 6:14-18; Ps. 37:21,22; 21:16,17,18,8
Matt. 27:27-45; Mk. 15:26-33; Luke 23:26-44; John 19:13-27
As [the women] were “looking on,99 so we too gaze at His wounds as He hangs. We
se His blood as He dies. We see the price offered by the Redeemer, touch the scars of His
Resurrection. He bows His head, as if to kiss you. His heart is made bare open, as it were,
in love to you. His arms are extended that He may embrace you. His whole body is
displayed for your redemption. Ponder how great these things are. Let all this be richly
weighed in your mind: as He was once fixed to the Cross in every part of His Body for you,
so He may now be fixed in every part of your soul.
Saint Augustine843
There is only one theme for this entire hour: the Cross.
In this hour, God extends His arms on the Cross—in one hand carrying the sins of
mankind from all generations; in the other declaring the love of God for man, forgiveness, and
eternal life. Thus, He reconciled man with God on the Cross for our salvation.
The first prophesy, from Numbers, introduces Moses’ brazen serpent—a symbol of the
powerful Cross crushing Satan and all death. The church daily reminds us of this message in the
prayers of the sixth hour of the Agpeya. So we read of the power of the Cross, which acts as our
cure and victory against sin.
The second prophesy in Isaiah 53 is a powerful sign of Christ as the Lamb, brought to
the slaughter. In the Jewish times, the lambs that were used for the temple sacrifices were bom
in Nazareth, grazed throughout Jerusalem, and then slaughtered on Golgotha outside of the
temple. This practice amazingly foreshadows Christ, the true and perfect Lamb of God. This is
one of the most powerful %selections read throughout the week, prophesying about the
Crucifixion, the burial, and the inheritance of salvation. Here, the Cross is the sacrificial wood
that holds the Lamb of God.
843 Saint Augustine, On Virginity, AACS v. 2, p. 235.
Page 415
The third prophesy, from Isaiah 12, speaks of the day of salvation that comes with a
great joy, yet the sun will be darkened. This eclipse which took place on the Cross symbolizes
the Lord as the Sun of Righteousness. On the Cross, God give us joyful waters to drink—of His
precious blood mixed with waters of baptism. Here, the Cross is our joy and steadfastness.
St. Gregory of Nyssa relates the third prophesy with man’s thirst for salvation with the
final prophesy of Amos, where man’s thirst is only satisfied through “the hearing o f the words o f
the Lord. ” Amos also prophesied that the sun would be darkened during His crucifixion. This
demonstrates for us the hidden glory of the Cross.
After these great prophesies are read, candles are then lit before the Icon of the
Crucifixion. The presbyters, wearing their liturgical robes, cense the icon. In the presence of the
bishop, they also cense and bow before him, without kissing his hand or his cross. Meanwhile,
the congregation chants the hymn for the incense, X&iôvpH (Tai Shori, “the Golden Censer”)
followed by the hymn eT&qeNq (Vay Etaf-enf, “This is He”). In this hymn, we declare
“This is He Who offered Himself on the Cross as an acceptable sacrifice for the salvation of our
race. His Good Father smelled Him in the evening on Golgotha.” Here, we taste the sweetness of
the Cross.
After its paschal introduction is chanted, the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians is read.
Its simple and essential theme: Glory in the Cross. Afterwards, six litanies are said by the priest,
along with responses from the congregation. These prayers are patterned after those that follow
the gospel readings in the Agpeya prayers.
Following this, the hymn of OttONOêNHC (Omonogenees, “O Only Begotten”) is
chanted. The initial part of the hymn discus the Incarnation and Crucifixion, and is accompanied
by a somber paschal tune. Yet, near the end, there is hope when discussing the promise of the
resurrection. Once the congregation chants “tramped down death...” (Thanato Thanaton...) the
hymn regains life in a lively tempo and lighter beat. Here wee hear of the hope of the Cross.
The Trisagion (Agios) is then chanted twice, in two separate tunes, followed by the
psalm and gospel readings. The psalm speaks directly about the piercing of His hands and feet.
When Christ breathed His last, darkness came over all the land from the sixth to the ninth hour.
The church recreates this eclipse by turning off all of the lights in the church after this one verse
is read. Thus we see the light of the Cross.
After the reading of the Exposition, which sufficiently memorialises the events of this
hour, the church chants the hymn Slpinajuevi (Ari pamevi, “Remember Me”). This hymn is
based on the words spoken by the Thief on the Right, and expresses the desire of every believer
to enter into God’s Kingdom, which is opened for us through Christ’s death and Resurrection.
This hymn has 11 verses said by the reader, followed by repetitions of the thief s petition.
Numbers l h u §
The king of Arad, the Canaanite, who dwelt in the South, heard that Israel was coming on the road to
Atharim, then he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoners. ^So Israel made a vow to the L o r d , and
said, “If You will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.” Ând the L o r d
listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites, and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So
the name of that place was called Hormah.
^Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the
soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. Ând the people spoke against God and against Moses:
“Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul
loathes this worthless bread.” ^So the L o r d sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many
of the people of Israel died.
Page 416
^Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the L o rd
and against you; pray to the L o r d that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8Then
the L o r d said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten,
when he looks at it, shall live.” 9So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent
had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
The brazen serpent was hung up as a remedy for the biting serpents, not as a type of Him
that suffered for us, but as a contrast; and it saved those that looked upon it, not because they
believed it to live, but because it was killed, and killed with it the powers that were subject to it,
being destroyed as it deserved. And what is the fitting epitaph for it from us? “O death, where is
your sting? O grave, where is your victory? ” [Hos. 13:41; 1 Cor. 15:55j You are overthrown
by the Cross; you are slain by Him who is the Giver of life; you are without breath, dead,
without motion, even though you keep the form of a serpent lifted up on high on a pole.
Moses, after the prohibition of any “likeness of anything,” set forth a brazen serpent,
placed on a “tree,” in a hanging posture, for a spectacle of healing to Israel, at the time when,
after their idolatry, they were suffering extermination by serpents, except that in this case he was
exhibiting the Lord’s cross on which the “serpent” the devil was “made a show of,” and, for
every one hurt by such snakes—that is, his angels —on turning intently from the problem of sins
to the sacraments of Christ’s cross, salvation was outwrought? For he who then gazed upon that
(cross) was freed from the bite of the serpents.
Tertullian845
Similarly manner He points to the cross of Christ...with Moses, when God commanded,
“You shall not have any graven or image for your God, ” did so that he might reveal a type of
Jesus. Moses then makes a brazen serpent, and places it upon a beam, and by proclamation
assembles the people. When, therefore, they had come together, they besought Moses that he
would offer sacrifice in their behalf, and pray for their recovery...[This is a symbol of] the glory
of Jesus; for in Him and to Him are all things.
Epistle of Barnabas846
Didn’t God, through Moses, forbid the making of an image or likeness of anything in the
heavens or on earth? Yet, didn’t He Himself have Moses construct the brazen serpent in the
desert? Moses set it up as a sign by which those who had been bitten by the serpents were
healed. In doing so, was Moses not free of any sin? By this, as I stated above, God through
Moses announced a mystery by which he proclaimed that He would break the power of the
serpent, who prompted the sin of Adam. He promises that He would deliver from the bites of
the serpent (that is, evil actions, idolatries, and other sins) all those who believe in Him who
was to be put to death by this sign, namely the Cross.
844 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Second Oration, NPNF, s. 2, v. 8,

846 Epistle of Bamabus, Ch. 12, ANF, v. 1.
847 St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 94, FC v. 6, 297, AACS OT v. 3, 242.
Page 417
The serpent struck Adam in paradise and killed him. [It also struck] Israel in the camp
and annihilated them. uJust as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, the Son o f Man will be
lifted up. ” [John 3:14] Just as those who looked with bodily eyes at the sign which Moses
fastened on the Cross lived bodily, so too those who look with spiritual eyes at the Body of the
Messiah nailed and suspended on the Cross and believe in Him will live [spiritually]. Thus it
was revealed through this brazen [serpent], which by nature cannot suffer, that he who was to
suffer on the Cross is one who by nature cannot die.
To be made whole of a serpent is a great sacrament. What is it to be made whole of a

serpent by looking upon a serpent? It is to be made whole of death by believing in one dead.
And nevertheless Moses feared and fled. [Ex. 4:3] Why did Moses flee from the serpent? What,
brethren, except that which we know to have been done in the gospel? Christ died, and the
disciples feared and withdrew from the hope wherein they had been.
St. Augustine849
And since this great and wonderful dignity can only be attained by the remission of sins,
He goes on to say, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son o f
man be lifted up; that whoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. ” We
know what at that time happened in the wilderness. Many were dying of the bite of serpents: the
people then confessed their sins, and, through Moses, besought the Lord to take away from them
this poison. Accordingly, Moses, at the Lord’s command, lifted up a brazen serpent in the
wilderness, and admonished the people that every one who had been serpent-bitten should look
upon the uplifted figure. When they did so they were immediately healed.
What does the uplifted serpent symbolize but the death of Christ, by that mode of
expressing a sign, whereby the thing which is effected is signified by that which effects it? Now
death came by the serpent, which persuaded man to commit the sin, by which he deserved to die.
The Lord, however, transferred to His own flesh not sin, as the poison of the serpent, but He did
transfer to it death, that the penalty without the fault might transpire in the likeness of sinful
flesh, whence, in the sinful flesh, both the fault might be removed and the penalty. As,
therefore, it then came to pass that whoever looked at the raised serpent was both healed of the
poison and freed from death, so also now, whoever is conformed to the likeness of the death of
Christ by faith in Him and His baptism, is freed both from sin by justification, and from death by
resurrection. For this is what He says: “That whoever believes in Him should not perish, but
have eternal life.” [John 3:15] What necessity then could there be for an infant’s being
conformed to the death of Christ by baptism, if he were not altogether poisoned by the bite of the
serpent?
St. Augustine850
He endured death, then; but death He hanged on the Cross, and mortal men are delivered
from death. The Lord calls to mind a great matter, which was done in a figure with them of old:
“And as Moses, ” He said, “lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son o f man be
lifted up; that every one who believeth on Him may not perish, but have everlasting life. ” A great
St. Ephram the Syrian, Commentary on Tatian’s Diatesseron, 16.15, AACS OT v. 3, p. 242.
849 St. Augustine, Explanation of the Psalms, 74.4, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8, p. 344.
850 St. Augustine, On the Merits and the Forgiveness of Sins and the Baptism of Infants, Ch. 61, NPNF, s. 1, v. 5.
Page 418
mystery is here, as they who read know...the Lord Himself testifies in this passage, so that no
The Holy Pascha
man can give another interpretation than that which the truth indicates concerning itself...
What are the biting serpents? Sins, from the mortality of the flesh. What is the
serpent lifted up? The Lord’s death on the cross. For as death came by the serpent, it was
figured by the image of a serpent. The serpent’s bite was deadly, the Lord’s death is life-
giving. A serpent is gazed on that the serpent may have no power. What is this? A death is gazed
on, that death may have no power. But whose death? The death of life: if it may be said, the
death of life; ay, for it may be said, but said wonderfully. But should it not be spoken, seeing it
was a thing to be done? Shall I hesitate to utter that which the Lord has deigned to do for me? Is
not Christ the life? And yet Christ hung on the Cross. Is not Christ life? And yet Christ was
dead. But in Christ’s death, death died. Life dead slew death; the fullness of life swallowed
up death; death was absorbed in the body of Christ. So also shall we say in the resurrection,
when now triumphant we shall sing, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your
sting?” Meanwhile brethren, that we may be healed from sin, let us now gaze on Christ
crucified; for “as Moses, ” He said, "lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son o f
man be lifted up; that whoever believeth on Him may not perish, but have everlasting life. ” Just
as they who looked on that serpent perished not by the serpent’s bites, so they who look in faith
on Christ’s death are healed from the bites of sins. But those were healed from death to temporal
life; whilst here He said, “that they may have everlasting life. " Now there is this difference
between the figurative image and the real thing: the figure procured temporal life; the reality, of
which that was the figure, procures eternal life.
St. Augustine851
I s a i a h 53:7-12
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the
slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
8He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off
from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. Ând they made His grave with
the wicked- But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
Yet it pleased the L o r d to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for
sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the L o r d shall prosper in His hand. 1*He
shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He
shall bear their iniquities.
12Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the
sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
When He was led as a sacrifice, “as a sheep before His s h e a r e r s He was silent; and
when He was crucified and buried, He was all the time the hidden God of gods.
St. Augustine852
When He was scourged He opened not His mouth! And when He was crucified He
prayed for His crucifiers! How can I pay the Lord off for all what He had given me? The Chalice
of salvation I take, and call the Name of the Lord!
St. Jerome853
851 St. Augustine, Tractates on John, 12, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7.

853 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Divine Love, p. 246 (Arabic).
Page 419
They crucified Him with robbers, involuntarily realizing the prophecy... What they did to
The Holy Pascha
insult Him has been meant to realize the strength of that great prophecy. The devil tried hard to
conceal what took place, but in vain. Three have been crucified, among whom Jesus alone was
glorified, to confirm His authority on all. Miracles happened, as the three of them were nailed on
their crosses, yet no one referred those miracles to the other two, but to Jesus alone, putting the
plan of the devil completely to no avail. One of the two robbers was saved, he who did not say
wrong to the glory of the cross, but somehow contributed to it. What happened to him that led
him to Paradise is not much less than an earthquake.
As a sheep He is led to the slaughter, but He is the Shepherd of Israel, and now of the
whole world also. As a Lamb He is silent, yet He is the Word, and is proclaimed by the Voice of
one crying in the wilderness. He is bruised and wounded, but He heals every disease and every
infirmity. He is lifted up and nailed to the Tree, but by the Tree of Life He restores us; yea, He
saves even the Robber crucified with Him; yea, He wrapped the visible world in darkness.
Some of [the prophets said that] He Himself “shall take [upon Himself] our weaknesses
and bear our sorrows”.. .some [predicted] a weak and inglorious man, and one who knew what
it was to bear infirmity, and sitting upon the foal of a donkey [Zech. 9:9], He should come to
Jerusalem, and that He should give His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to palms, and that He
should be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and that He should have vinegar and gall given Him to
drink [Ps. 68:21].. .and that He should stretch forth His hands the whole day long [Is. 65:2]; and
that He should be mocked and maligned by those who looked upon Him [Ps. 21:7]...
St. Irenaeus of Lyons856
If it was for the sake of you and your sins that He numbered with transgressors you
should keep the law for His sake. Worship Him, Who was nailed on the cross for your sake,
even though you are yourself nailed... Purchase your salvation by your death, and enter together
with Jesus into paradise, to remember, “from where you have fallen” (Rev. 2: 5).
He intercedes for us every day, washing our feet. We likewise are in need of washing our
own feet every day, through spiritually doing what is right; realizing and saying with the Lord’s
prayer: “Andforgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. ” (Matt. 6:12)
St. Augustine858
I s a ia h 12*2-13:1®
Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For God, the L o r d , is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.’ “
^Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation
4And in that day you will say: “Praise the L o r d , call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the
peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted. ^Sing to the L o r d , For He has done excellent things; This is
854 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on John, Homily 85:1.

855 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Third Theological Oration, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 602.
856 St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, Book 4, Chl.32, §§ 11, 12, ANF, v. 1, p. 510.
857 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Oration on Easter, 34, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.
858 St. Augustine, Tractates on John, 56:4, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7, p. 426.
Page 420
known in all the earth. ^Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, For great is the Holy One of Israel in your
midst!”
13:1The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.
2”Lift up a banner on the high mountain, Raise your voice to them; Wave your hand, that they may enter
the gates of the nobles. % have commanded My sanctified ones; I have also called My mighty ones for My anger—
Those who rejoice in My exaltation.”
^The noise of a multitude in the mountains, Like that of many people! A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms
of nations gathered together! The L o r d of hosts musters The army for battle. ^They come from a far country, From
the end of heaven—The L o r d and His weapons of indignation, To destroy the whole land.
6W ail, for the day o f the L o r d is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. ^Therefore all
hands will be limp, Every man’s heart will melt, 8And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of
them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their faces will be like
flames.
^Behold, the day of the L o r d comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger To lay the land desolate;
And He will destroy its sinners from it. l^For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give their light;
The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine.
“Eat o f My bread, ” [Prov. 9:5] is the bidding of Wisdom to the hungry; and the Lord
declares those blessed who hunger for such food as this, and says, “I f any man thirst, let him
come unto Me, and drink”: and “draw you therefore water with j o y ” is the great Isaiah’s charge
to those who are able to hear his sublimity. There is a prophetic threatening also against those
worthy of vengeance, that they shall be punished with famine; but the “famine” is not a lack of
bread and water, but a failure of the word:— “not a famine o f bread, nor a thirst for water, but a
famine o f hearing the word o f the Lord. ” [Amos 8:11]
A mos 8:9-12
“And it shall come to pass in that day,” says the Lord G o d , “That I will make the sun go down at
noon, And I will darken the earth in broad daylight; 1®I will turn your feasts into mourning, And all your songs
into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist, And baldness on every head; I will make it like mourning for
an only son, And its end like a bitter day.
11’’Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord G o d , “That I will send a famine on the land, Not a
famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the L o r d . 12They shall wander from sea
to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the L o r d , But shall not find it.
Suspended, then, and fastened to His Cross, Christ cried out to God the Father in a loud
voice and willingly laid down His life. In that same hour, there as a n earthquake, the veil of the
temple that separated the two tabernacles was cut in two, and the sun was suddenly withdrawn,
and from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there as darkness. The prophet Amos bears witness
to this.
Lactantius860
G a l a t ia n s 6:14-1$
But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world
has been crucified to me, and I to the world. l^For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails
anything, but a new creation. lÂnd as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and
859 St. Gregory of Nyssa, On the Making of Man, Ch. 19, §1, NPNF, s. 2, v. 5, p. 408.
860 Lactantius, Epitome on the Divine Institutes, 4.19, FC v. 49, p. 296, AACS OT v. 14, p. 112.
Page 421
upon the Israel of God. ^From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord
Jesus. *^Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Now indeed [the Cross] appears to be a reprehensible thing, but only to the world and to
unbelievers. In heaven and for believers it is the highest glory. For poverty too is reprehensible,
yet it is a cause of boasting to us., many mock simplicity, but we are disciplined by it. In this
way the Cross ironically is also a cause of boasting for us. Paul did not say, “I do not boast ” or
“I do not wish to boast ” but God forbid, as though he was insulting something absurd and
calling on the aid of God to see this right. But what is this boasting in the Cross? That on my
behalf Christ took the form of a slave and suffered what He suffered on account of me, the slave,
the enemy, the ingrate.
By “the world” he does not means heaven nor hearth, but the affairs of life, human praise,
distinguished positions, reputation, wealth and all things that have a show of splendor All such
things are dead to me. Such should be the case for all Christians. Nor is he satisfied only with
the former ordinary mode of dying, but he also introduces another kind of death: dying to the
world itself.
Anyone who after Christ’s coming is circumcised in the flesh does not carry the marks of
the Lord Jesus. Rather he glories in his own confusion. But the One who was flogged beyond
what the law required, frequently was in prison, was beaten three times with rods, was once
stoned and suffered all the other things that are written in his catalogue of boasting [2 Cor.
11:23 -29] —this is the one who carries on his body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Perhaps also the
ascetic today who keeps his body under control and subjects it to servitude so that he will not
appear degenerate as he preaches to others may in some way carry the marks of the Lord Jesus
on his own body.
St. Jerome862
For [Saint Paul], who was able to make himself known by so many and great miracles,
says, “God forbid that I should glory in anything else, than in the Cross o f Christ” And to the
Corinthians he says that the word of the Cross is “the power o f God to them that are in a state
o f salvation99[1 Cor. 1:18]. To the Ephesians, more over, he describes by the figure of the Cross
the power that.. .holds together the universe.. .Rejoicing in these lacerations, Paul says “Ibear in
my body the marks o f Christ99 He readily yields to his weakness in all these misfortunes,
through which the power of Christ is being perfected in virtue.
What is the boast of the Cross? That Christ for my sake took on Him the form of a slave,
the enemy, the unfeeling one. Yes, He so loved me as to give Himself up to a curse for me. What
can be comparable to this!...Let us then not be ashamed of His unspeakable tenderness; He was
not ashamed of being crucified for your sake, and shall you be ashamed to confess His infinite
solicitude? It is as if a prison who had not been ashamed of his king, should after that king had
come to the prison and himself loosed of the chains, become ashamed of him on that account.
Yet this would be the height of madness, for this very fact would be an especial ground for
boasting...
861 St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Galatians, 6.14, AACS, v. 8, p. 102.

862 St. Jerome, Epistle to the Galatians, 3.16.17, AACS v. 8, p. 104.
863 St. Gregory of Nyssa, Oration 12, on Song of Songs, 5.7, AACS, v. 8, p. 104.
More clearly by those wounds than by any argument, than by any language, do I vindicate
myself. For these wounds utter a voice louder than a trumpet against my opponents, and against
those who say that I play the hypocrite in my teaching, and speak what may please men. For no
one who saw a soldier retiring from the battle bathed in blood and with a thousand wounds,
would dare to accuse him of cowardice and treachery, seeing that he bears on his body the proofs
of his valor, and so should you, he says to judge of me.
P salm 37t.2l,22
I am the Beloved, rejected as a despised man; for they nailed My flesh. Do not abandon me, O my Master
and my God.
It was fitting for Him to be silent during His passion; but He would not be so in His
judgment, when He who, in great humility, was sentenced, comes to judge all.
St. Augustine865.
“Do not Forsake me, O Lord; O my God, do not depart from me ” Let us speak in Him,
let us speak through Him (for He Himself intercedes for us), and let us say, “Do not forsake me,
O Lord my God.” And yet He had said, “My God! My God! why have You forsaken Me? ” and
He now says, “O My God, do not depart from Me.” If He does not forsake the body, did He
forsake the Head? Whose words then are these but the first man’s? To show then that He carried
about Him a true body of flesh derived from him, He says, “My God, My God why have You
forsaken Me? ” God had not forsaken Him. If He does not forsake You, who believe in Him,
could the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God, forsake Christ? But He had
transferred to Himself the person of the First Man.
We know by the words of an Apostle, that “our old man is crucified with Him. ” We
should not, however, be divested of our old nature, had He not been crucified “in weakness. ” For
it was to this end that He came that we may be renewed in Him, because it is by aspiration after
Him, and by following the example of His suffering, that we are renewed. Therefore that was the
cry of infirmity; that cry, I mean, in which it was said, “Why have You forsaken Me? ” Then was
it said in that passage above, “the words o f my offences. ” As if He were saying, These words are
transferred to My Person from that of the sinner.
“Depart not from me. Make haste to help me, Lord o f my salvation ” (v. 22). This is that
very “salvation,” Brethren, concerning which, as the Apostle Peter said, “Prophets have
enquired diligently, ” and though they have enquired diligently, yet have not found it. But they
searched into it, and foretold of it; while we have come and have found what they sought for.
And see, we ourselves too have not as yet received it; and after us shall others also be bom, and
shall find, what they also shall not receive, and shall pass away, that we may, all of us together,
receive the “penny of salvation in the end of the day,” with the Prophets, the Patriarchs, and the
Apostles. For you know that the hired servants, or laborers, were taken into the vineyard at
different times; yet did they all receive their wages on an equal footing. Apostles, then, and
Prophets, and Martyrs, and ourselves also, and those who will follow us to the end of the world,
it is in the End itself that we are to receive everlasting salvation; that beholding the face of God,
and contemplating His Glory, we may praise Him for ever, free from imperfection, free from any
punishment of iniquity, free from every perversion of sin: praising Him; and no longer longing
864 St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Galatians, NPNF, s. 1, v. 13.

865 St. Augustine, Commentary on the Psalms, Ps. 38, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8.
Page 423
after Him, but now clinging to Him for whom we used to long to the very end, and in whom we
did rejoice, in hope. For we shall be in that City, where God is our Bliss, God is our Light, God
is our Bread, God is our Life; whatever good thing of ours there is, at being absent from which
we now grieve, we shall find in Him. In Him will be that “rest,” which when we “call to
remembrance” now, we cannot choose but grieve. For that is the “Sabbath” which we “call to
remembrance;” in the recollection of which, so great things have been said already; and so great
things should to be said by us also, and should never to cease being said by us, not with our lips
indeed, but in our heart: for therefore do our lips cease to speak, that we may cry out with our
hearts.
St. Augustine866
T he H ymn O m onogenees (* 0 O nly B egotten So n *)

O Only-begotten, Eternal and Immortal Logos of God,
Who for our salvation did will to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.
Who without change became Man and was crucified, O Christ, our God.
Who trampled down death by death. One of the Holy Trinity, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.
This special hymn was composed by the Emperor Justinian in the sixth century. The
words are a song of theological praise to Christ, the son of God, who for our sakes chose death
on the cross. As prophesied in Isaiah: “He was woundedfor our transgressions. He was bruised
for our iniquities; the chastisement o f our peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are
healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to His own way; and the
Lord has laid on him the iniquity o f us all. ” (Is. 5:6)
Psalm 21:16,17,18,8
They pierced My hands and My feet; they counted all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They parted
My garments among themselves, and for My clothing they cast lots. “He trusted in the L o r d , let Him rescue Him;
Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”
F i f counted (numbered) mil My bones. ■
No words can better describe the stretching of His body upon the tree than these: “And
all My bones are numbered. ”
St. Augustine
The Scholar Origen sees that these bones figuratively refer to the disciples of Christ and
all His believers, who were scattered during His crucifixion in weakness, and through His
resurrection they were gathered together as one body, and one of these bones were not broken:
“All My bones are scattered ”, although the bones of His body were not scattered, and not
even one of them was broken. But when the resurrection itself takes place of the true and more
perfect body of Christ, then those who are now the members of Christ, for they will then be dry
bones, will be brought together, bone to bone, and fitting to fitting (for none of those who are
destitute of fitting will come to the perfect man), to the measure of the stature of the fullness of
the body of Christ. And then the many members will be the one body, all of them, though many,
becoming members of one body.
The Scholar Origen 867
866 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Psalm 38, §§26-27, NPNF, s. 1. v, 8.

867 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, Book 10: 20.
Page 424
Many Fathers of the Church state that the true pious believers -the bones of Christ- even
if they become weak because of sufferings and martyrdom the grace of God will support them,
and one of these bones will never be broken. The bones of Christ are our inner faith, for through
the temptation we may cry within our hearts, “How long, O Lord, Will You forget me for ever?
How long will you turn Your face away from me? ” How long must I bear pain in my soul, and
have sorrow in my heart all the day? [Ps. 13:1,2,] as if our God has left us alone, or our faith
became feeble... But God works within us by His grace so that we may add the same words of
the Psalmist, “my heart rejoices in Your salvation” (Ps.l3:5), declaring that none of Christ’s
bones within us has been broken, even if they were temporary scattered.
M atthew 27:27-45
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around
Him. ^ A n d they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. ^^when they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put
it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail,
King of the Jews!” ^ T h e n they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31 And when they had
mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.
32now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His
cross. ^^ And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, ^^they gave Him sour
wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink, ^ j h e n they crucified Him, and
divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: ” They divided My
garments among them, A nd fo r My clothing they cast lots. ”
3^Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. 37And they put up over His head the accusation written against
Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
3^Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left. 3(Ând those who
passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads ^ a n d saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three
days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” ^Likew ise the chief priests also,
mocking with the scribes and elders, said, e saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel,
let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. ^ H e trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if
He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ “ ^Êven the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled
Him with the same thing.
4^N o w from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.
M ark 15:26-33
And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27with Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. 28So the Scripture
was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors. ” ^ A n d those who passed by blasphemed
Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, ^ sa v e Yourself,
and come down from the cross!” 31 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes,
said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. 3^Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross,
that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.
33now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
L uke 23.26-44
Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the
country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus. 27And a great multitude of the people
followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. 28But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of
868 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Psalms.

Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church v The Holy Pascha
Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ^ F o r indeed the days are coming in
which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ ^ T h e n they
will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ‘ ^ F o r if they do these things in the
green wood, what will be done in the dry?” ^ j h e r e were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to
death. 33And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on
the right hand and the other on the left, ^ y h e n Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they
do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. ^ $And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them
sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” ^ T h e soldiers also
mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37an(j saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”
38And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF
THE JEWS.
39Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save
Yourself and us.” 40]3ut the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are
under the same condemnation? ^ A n d we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man
has done nothing wrong.” ^Then he sajd to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
^ N o w it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
JOHN 19:13-27
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place
that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. ^ N o w it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about
the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” ^ B u t they cried out, “Away with Him, away with
Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king
but Caesar!” ^T hen he delivered Him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led Him away.
And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew,
Golgotha, l^where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. *9Now
Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE
JEWS.
^ T h e n many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it
was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. ^1Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write,
‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, “I am the King of the Jews.” ‘ “ ^ P ilate answered, “What I have written, I
have written.” 23Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each
soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. ^ T h e y said
therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be
fulfilled which says: “They divided M y garments among them, A nd fo r M y clothing they cast lots. ”
Therefore the soldiers did these things. ^ N o w there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His
mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 2^When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the
disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” ^Then He said to the
disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
His Suffering: The Robe, Meed, and the Thorns
T h e s c a r l e t r o b e was prefigured by the scarlet sign mentioned in Joshua the son of Nun,
which Rahab used for her safety [Josh. 2:18], and mentioned in Genesis [38:28], which was
placed on the hand of one of Tamar’s newborn sons in token of the future Passion of Christ. So
now, in taking up the “scarlet robe,” He took upon Himself the blood of the world, and in that
thorny “crown” plaited on His head He took upon Himself the thorns of our sins. As to the robe,
it is written that “they stripped Him o f the scarlet robe ” [Mk. 15:20].
Page 426
But as to the crown of thorns, the Evangelists mention nothing further. Apparently they
wanted us to determine what happened to the crown of thorns placed on His head and never
removed. My belief is that the crown of thorns disappeared from the head of Jesus, so that our
former thorns no longer exist now that Jesus has removed them from us once and for all on His
own distinguished head...
What can be said about the reed they placed “in His right hand”! ...The reed embodied
the hallow and fragile scepter that we all were leaning on before we saw it was a bad scepter, for
we were trusting in the reed-shaped rod of Egypt or Babylon or some other kingdom opposed to
God’s kingdom [Is. 36:6] then he took that reed and rod of the fragile kingdom from our hands,
to subdue it and break it into pieces on the Cross. In place of that reed we once were leaning on,
He gave us the scepter of the heavenly kingdom and the rod mentioned in Scripture, "The rod
o f justice, the rod o f Your kingdom. ” [Ps. 45:6] in other words, the rod that chastens those who
need to be chastened, as the apostle notes: “What do you want, that I come to you with a rod?”
[1 Cor. 4:21] He also gave us a staff that we might celebrate the Paschal Feast (as scripture says,
“Let your staff be in your hand” [Ex. 12:11]), laying down that reed-shaped rod we once had
before we celebrated the Lord’s Paschal Feast.
Then they took this fragile, hallow reed and struck the honorable head of Jesus with it, for
that ever-adverse kingdom reviles and scourges God the Father, the head of the Lord and Savior.
And amid all this, the Only-begotten Goodness itself was unharmed, nor did He suffer anything,
“Being made a curse for us. ” [Gal. 3:13] , since by nature He is a blessing. But since He is a
blessing, He destroyed, took away and dispelled all human malediction.
The beaten Lord is dressed in a scarlet robe, a purple cloak and a crown of thorns, and a
reed is placed on His right hand. Bending their knees before Him, they mock Him. Having
taken upon Himself all the infirmities of our bodies, He is covered with the scarlet blood of all
the martyrs destined to reign with Him. He is cloaked with the high honor of the prophets and
patriarchs in purple cloth. He is also crowned with thorns, that is, with the former sins of the
remorseful Gentiles, so that glory might derive from the destructive and useless things, plaited on
His divine head, which they contrive. The sharp points of thorns aptly pertain to the sins from
which a crown of victory is woven for Christ. The reed symbolizes the emptiness and weakness
of all those Gentiles, which is held firm in His grasp. His head, moreover, is struck. As I believe,
not much harm was done to His head from being struck with the reed. However, the typical
explanation for this is that the bodily weakness of the Gentiles that was previously held in
Christ’s hand finds comfort now in God the Father, for He is the head. [1 Cor. 11:13] But amid
all this, while Christ is mocked, he is being adored.
He is stoned, but is not taken. He prays, but He hears prayer. He weeps, but He causes
tears to cease. He asks where Lazarus was laid, for He was Man; but He raises Lazarus, for He
was God. He is sold, and very cheap, for it is only for thirty pieces of silver; but He redeems the
world, and that at a great price, for the Price was His own blood. As a sheep He is led to the
slaughter, but He is the Shepherd of Israel, and now of the whole world also. As a Lamb He is
silent, yet He is the Word, and is proclaimed by the Voice of one crying in the wilderness. He is
bruised and wounded, but He heals every disease and every infirmity. He is lifted up and
869 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 125, AACS, lb, p. 285.
870 St. Hilary of Poitiers, On Matthew, 33.3, AACS lb, pp. 284-285.
Page 427
nailed to the Tree, but by the Tree of Life He restores us. Yes, He saves even the Robber
crucified with Him. Yes, He wrapped the visible world in darkness. He is given vinegar to drink
mingled with gall. Who? He who turned the water into wine? who is the destroyer of the bitter
taste, who is Sweetness and altogether desire. He lays down His life, but He has power to take it
again and the veil is rent, for the mysterious doors of Heaven are opened; the rocks are cleft, the
dead arise. He dies, but He gives life, and by His death destroys death. He is buried, but He rises
again; He goes down into Hell, but He brings up the souls; He ascends to Heaven, and shall
come again to judge the quick and the dead, and to put to the test such words as yours. If the one
give you a starting point for your error, let the others put an end to it.”
Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross. He who is King
of the angels is arrayed in a crown of thorns. He who wraps the heaven in clouds in wrapped in
the purpose of mockery. He who in Jordan set Adam free receives blows upon His face. The
Bridegroom of the Church is transfixed with nails. The Son of the Virgin is pierced with a spear.
We venerate Your Passion, O Christ. Show us also Your glorious Resurrection.
Answer to those who are in doubt because He bears up with Him His body and the tokens
of His Passion, which He had not when He came down, and who therefore inquire, “Who is this
King o f Glory?” that it is the Lord strong and mighty, as in all things that He has done from time
to time and does, so now in His battle and triumph for the sake of Mankind. And give to the
doubting of the question the twofold answer- And if they marvel and say as in Isaiah’s drama
Who is this that cometh from Edom and from the things of earth? Or How are the garments red
of Him that is without blood or body, as of one that treads in the full wine-press? Set forth the
beauty of the array of the Body that suffered, adorned by the Passion, and made splendid by the
Godhead, than which nothing can be more lovely or more beautiful....
Simon o f Cyrene
The Savior is led to the suffering that brings salvation. They laid His Cross on Simon of
Cyrene. Another of the holy Evangelists said that Jesus Himself carried the Cross [Jn 19:17].
Now surely both are correct. For the Savior carried the Cross, and, having met the Cyrene about
half way, they transferred the Cross to him. It is said about him through the voice of Isaiah, that
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His
shoulder. ” [Isaiah 9:6] Now the Cross has become the means by which He governs, through
which He continues to rule over all heaven, since it is true that even as “far as death ” He has
become “obedient, even to death o f a Cross. Therefore God has exalted Him. ” [Phil. 2:8-9]
871 St. Gregory Nazianzen, The Third Theological Oration, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 602.
872 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke.
873 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Second Oration, NPNF, s. 2, v. 8,
874 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Fragment 306, AACS lb, p. 287.
Page 428
It is fitting not only for the Savior to take up His Cross but also for us to carry it, doing
compulsory service for our salvation. Furthermore, we did not benefit by taking up His Cross
then as much as we benefit by it now, since He takes it upon Himself and carries it.
After He took up the wood of His Cross and set out, they found and stopped a man of
Cyrene, that is from among the Gentiles, and placed the wood of the Cross on Him. It was only
right that they should have given the wood of the Cross voluntarily to the Gentiles, since in their
rebellion, the Jews rejected the coming of Him who was bringing all blessings. In rejecting tit
themselves, in their jealousy, they threw it away to the Gentiles. The Lord approved the
welcoming Gentiles and thus provoked jealousy among their contemporaries through the
Gentile’s acceptance. By carrying the wood of His Cross Himself, Christ revealed the sign of
His victory. Christ said that another person would not pressure Him to death, “I have power
over My life, to lay it down or take it up again. ” [Jn. 10:18] Why should another person have
carried the Cross? This showed that He, in Whom no sin could be found, went up on the Cross
for those who rejected Him.
How blessed was Simon who deserved to be the first to bar so great a sign of victory! He
was compelled to carry the Cross before the Lord because the Lord wanted to demonstrate His
cross to be a singular grace of that heavenly mystery which is Himself: God and man, Logos and
flesh, Son of God, and Son of Man. He was crucified as Man, but triumphed as God in the
mystery of the Cross. His suffering was of the flesh, but His glorious victory was divine.
Through His Cross, Christ defeated both death and the devil. Through the Cross, Christ mounted
His chariot of victory and chose the four Evangelists, as through horses for His chariot, to
announce so great a victory to all the world. Simon of Cyrene therefore was carrying the
instrument of this great triumph in his arms. He was a partaker of the Passion of Christ so
that he might be a partaker of His resurrection, as the apostle teaches, “If we die with Him,
.
we must also live with Him if we endure with Him, we will also reign with Him [2 Tim.
2:11-12] Similarly, the Lord Himself says in the Gospel, “He who does not take up his cross
.
andfollow Me, cannot be My disciple 99[Lk. 14:27]
Cromatius877
Golgotha, Wine and Gall
Just as it sufficed for the Lord only to taste “vinegar mixed with gall” so also was it
sufficient for our benefit that He only taste death, which lasted no longer than three days. The
other wine, however, which was not “mixed with gall ” or with anything else, He took and drank,
and “when He had given thanks, ” [Mt. 26:27] He gave it to His disciples, promising that He
would drink it “anew in the Kingdom of God. ” [Mt. 26:29]
If it was for the sake of you and your sins that He numbered with transgressors you
876 St. Ephram the Syrian, Commentary on Tatian’s Diatesseron, 20.20, p. 304, AACS v. 3, pp. 357-357.
877 Cromatius, Tractate on Matthew, 19.5, AACS, lb, p. 287.
Page 429
should keep the law for His sake. Worship Him, who was nailed on the cross for your sake, even
though you are yourself nailed...Purchase your salvation by your death, and enter together with
Jesus into paradise, to remember, “from where you have fallen” [Rev. 2: 5].
Dividing His Garments
They distributed His clothes by casting lots for them rather than by cutting them up
because this signifies the eternal incorruptibility of Christ’s Body. The life and salvation of all
things was hung from the tree of life with a thief on His left and a thief on His right. This
demonstrates that the entire human race is called to the mystery of the Lord’s suffering.
There are those who to this day do not have the Lord with them but do have His
garments—namely the words of the Scripture. They do not have them in full but only in part.
Nonetheless, the prophet had spoken that prediction which was now fulfilled [Ps. 22:18] Now as
to whether any of His clothes were tom apart when they divided His garments or whether any of
them remained intact and just what those items were, nothing is said by the first three
Evangelists. But in John we read [of this division of the garments]. Therefore not all but only
one of the soldiers who had cast lots received it. Now anyone debating the differences between
those who have the Lord’s “Garments” will doubtless find some people who, although they do
not have the Lord in their teachings, do have the “tunic” that was “woven from top to bottom. ”
It is important to consider what type of Man ascends. I see Him naked [John 19:23].
Let him who prepares to conquer this age ascend in this way so that he does not seek the
help of the age. Adam, who desired clothing, was conquered. [Gen. 3:7]. He who laid down
His clothes conquered. He ascended in the same way that nature formed us with God as
Creator. In the same way as the first Adam lived in paradise, the Second Adam entered
paradise [1 Cor. 15:47]. In order not to conquer only for Himself but for all, He held out
His hands [Is. 65:2; Rom. 10:21] to draw all things to Himself. Having wrenched them from
the bonds of death and hung them on the yoke of faith, He joined those of heaven to those
who before were of earth [1 Cor. 15:48-49].
St. Ambrose882
The Cross depicts two complete pictures: the rage of God on sin which cost the Lord His
life; and that of God’s overwhelming Love which ruptured fountains of abundant grace.”
The Dream
What then does Pilate say? “Did you not hear how many things these witness against
you?” [Pilate wished Christ would] defend Himself and be acquitted. Therefore, he said these
879 St. Gregory of Nazianzen, Oration on Easter, 34 NPNF, s.2,v. 12.

880 St. Hilary of Poitiers, On Matthew, 23.5, AACS lb, p. 288.
882 St. Ambrose, Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 10.112-113, AACS v. 3, p. 363.
883 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Jonah: A Patristic Commentary, p. 35.
Page 430
things. But since He answered nothing, [Pilate] devises something else. Of what nature was this?
It was a custom for them to release one of the condemned, and by this means he attempted to
deliver Him. For if you are not willing to release Him as innocent, yet as guilty pardon Him for
the feast’s sake.
See the order is reversed? For the petition in behalf of the condemned it was customary to
be with the people, and the granting it with the rulers; but now the contrary has come to pass, and
the ruler petitions the people; and not even so do they become gentle, but grow more savage and
bloodthirsty, driven to frenzy by the passion of envy. For neither had they whereof they should
accuse Him, and this though He was silent, but they were refuted even then by reason of the
abundance of His righteous deeds, and being silent He overcame them that say ten thousand
things, and are maddened.
...[Her] dream too was no small thing. So why doesn’t he see it himself? Either because
she was more worthy, or because he, if he had seen it, would not have been equally believed; or
would not so much as have told it. Therefore it was ordered that the wife should see it, so that it
might be manifest to all. She does not merely see it, but also suffers many things, that from
his feeling towards his wife, the man may be made more reluctant to the murder. And the time
too contributed not a little, for on the very night she saw it.
But it was not safe, it may be said, for him to let Him go, because they said He made
Himself a king. Then, he should have searched for proofs, and a conviction, and for all the things
that are infallible signs of an usurpation—e.g., whether He levied forces, whether He collected
money, whether he forged arms, whether He attempted any other such thing. But he is led away
at random, therefore neither does Christ acquit him of the blame, in saying, “He that betrays me
unto you has greater sin. ” So that it was from weakness that he yielded and scourged Him, and
delivered Him up.
He then was humanly and weak; but the chief priests wicked and criminal. For since he
had found out a device, namely, the law of the feast requiring him to release a condemned
person, what do they contrive in opposition to that? “They persuaded the multitude, ” it is said,
“that they should ask Barabbas. ”
The Two Thimes
There came to my ear from the Scripture which had been read a word that caused me joy
on the subject of the thief; it gave comfort to my soul amidst the multitude of its vices, telling
how He had compassion on the thief. O may He bring me too into that garden at the sound of
Whose name I am overwhelmed with joy; my mind bursts its reins as it goes forth to contemplate
Him.
When He hung on the precious Cross, two thieves were hung with Him. What comes
from this? It was truly a mockery as far as the plan of the Jews, but it was also the
commemoration of prophesy. It is written, “He was also numbered with the transgressors. ” [Is.
53:12] For our sakes, He became a curse. That is, He became accursed. It is written again,
“Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree. ” [Deu. 21:23] His act did away with the curse that was
on us. We are blessed with Him and because of Him. Knowing this, blessed David says,
885 St. Ephram the Syrian, Hymn on Paradise, 12.10, HOP, p. 131.
Page 431
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church J The Holy Pascha
“Blessed are we o f the Lord, who made heaven and earth. ” [Ps. 113:23]. Blessings descend to
us by His sufferings. He paid our debts in our place. He bore our sins. He was stricken in our
place [Is. 53:6], as it is written. He took our sins in His own Body on the Tree [1 Pet. 2:24],
because it is true that His bruises heal us [Is. 53:5]. He also was sick because of our sins, and we
were delivered from the sickness of the soul...
“This man ” he says, “has done nothing hateful. ” O how beautiful is this confession!
How wise the reasoning and how excellent the thoughts! He became the confessor of the
Savior’s glory and the accuser of the pride of those who crucified Him...
Let us look at his most beautiful confession of faith. He says, “Lord, remember me when
You come into Your kingdom. ” You see Him crucified and call Him a King. You expect the
One who bears scorn and suffering to come in godlike glory. You see Him surrounded by a
Jewish crowd, the wicked gang of the Pharisees, and Pilate’s band of soldiers. All of these were
mocking Him, and no one confessed Him.
They crucified Him with robbers, involuntarily realizing the prophecy...What they did to
insult Him has been meant to realize the strength of that great prophecy.. .The devil tried hard to
conceal what took place, but in vain. Three have been crucified, among whom Jesus alone was
glorified, to confirm His authority on all. Miracles happened, as the three of them were nailed on
their crosses, yet no one referred those miracles to the other two, but to Jesus alone, putting the
plan of the devil completely to no avail. One of the two robbers was saved, he who did not say
wrong to the glory of the Cross, but somehow contributed to it. What happened to him that led
him to Paradise is not much less than an earthquake...
In the beginning, God shaped man, and man was the image of the Father and the Son.
God said, “Let us make man in Our image and likeness. ” [Gen. 3:24]. Again when he wished to
bring the thief into Paradise, he immediately spoke the word and brought him in. Christ did not
need to pray to do this, although He had kept all p people after Adam from entering there. God
put there the flaming sword to guard Paradise. By His authority, Christ opened Paradise and
brought in the thief.
Referring to the two robbers who were crucified with Him, it was written, “He was
numbered with transgressors” (Is. 53). They were both transgressors, but one of them is no
more; the other, who rejected salvation until the end, though his hands were tied, yet his tongue
kept blaspheming ... For one, it was the end of his life, but the beginning of his repentance and
salvation. After rebuking his partner, he said to Jesus: “Lord, remember me when You come into
Your kingdom” (Lk. 23: 42).
Remember Me, O Lord, to you I cry out; the eyes of my mind are closed, but remember
me ! I do not say remember my deeds, for which I am frightened...Everyone is kind to his fellow
traveler...I do not say remember me now, but when you come into your kingdom. What power
has illuminated your soul ? Who taught you to worship the despised who was crucified with you?
St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 153, CLC p. 610.

887 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on John, 85:1, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14.
888 St. John Chrysostom, Against the Anomoeans, 9.15, FC v. 72, p. 239.
889 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, FC v. 64, p. 24, AACS, v. 2, p. 231.
Page 432
■# i
% The Holy Pascha
One robber said, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourselves and us with You!” The
Lord however did not take him down from the cross as he asked, in order to exalt the other
robber on the right of the cross and who was believing in the crucified Savior. It would have
been easy for Him to use a miracle to conquer anyone as a disciple. He produced a more
powerful miracle when He forced the scoffer of truth to adore Him. That is why the apostle said,
“That which is the weakness o f God is stronger than human beings. ” [1 Cor. 1:25].
Stretch out Your arms toward the Cross, so that the crucified Lord may stretch out His
arms toward you. The one who does not stretch out his hand toward the Cross cannot approach
His Table either. He will deprive His table the guests who should have come to Him hungry but
instead came full. Do not fill yourself before going to the table of the Son. He might then make
you leave the table while you are still hungry.
The hands that Adam stretched out toward the tree of knowledge, breaking the
commandment, were unworthy of stretching out toward the tree of life to revive the gifts of
the God that they had despised. Our Lord took these hands and attached them to the Cross, so
that He might kill their killer and arrive at His marvelous life. “You will be with Me in the
garden o f delights. ” “Remember me in Your Kingdom. ” Since he had seen with the eyes of faith
the dignity of our Lord instead of His shame, and His glory instead of His humiliation, he said,
“Remember me. ” What is apparent now, the nails and the Cross, will not make me forget what
will be at the consummation and what is not yet visible: Your kingdom and Your glory.
Two robbers were crucified with Him. [When the Jews] started by mocking Him; one
followed the evil Jews in his behavior; the other, admirably took a different trend. He believed
in Him; and amid his bitter suffering, condemned the vicious attitude of the Jews, and the
blaspheming words of his partner crucified with him. Confessing his sins, and admitting that he
is justly receiving the due reward of his deeds, he condemned his evil ways, to be forgiven by
God, saying with the Psalmist, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord. And You forgive the
iniquity o f my sin ” (Ps. 32:5).
He presented Christ with a blameless testimony, rebuked the Jews for their lack of God’s
love, and condemned the verdict of Pilate, saying, “This man has done nothing wrong ” (Lk. 23:
41) What a beautiful confession!...He gained the inheritance of saints, and his name is now
written in heaven; after having been condemned to death, he was numbered among the dwellers
of the exalted city.
Amid the courtroom of the Cross, one robber who believed was freed, the other who
insulted Him was condemned. [Luke 23:39-43]. He was then signifying in advance what He
would do concerning the living and the dead, putting some on His right and some on His left
[Mt. 25:31-33]. The one robber was like to those who would be on the left; the other, to those
who would be on the right. He who was being judged was anticipating final judgment.
St. Augustine892
890 St. Ephram the Syrian, Commentary on Tatian’s Diatessaron, CTD, 20.11, pp. 292-6, AACS v. 2, pp. 210-211.
891 St. Cyril the Great, excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Mark.
892 St. Augustine, Tractates on John, 31.11, FC, v. 88, p. 40.
Page 433
Some scholars believe the two robbers refer to the nations of the Jews and the Gentiles;
one of them was condemned to death through the Mosaic law, while the other, through the
natural law. The Lord Christ was crucified between them, to bind them together in Him, being a
comer stone for the Church, offering His blood a price for unity in Him!
That flaming, flashing sword [Gen. 3:24] was keeping Paradise safe. No one could open
the gates that Christ closed. The fief was the first to enter with Christ. His great faith received
the greatest of rewards. His faith in the kingdom did not depend on seeing Christ. He did not
see him in His radiant glory or behold Him looking down from heaven. He did not see the
angels serving Him. To put it plainly, he certainly did not see Christ walking about in freedom,
but on a scaffold, drinking vinegar and crowned with thorns. He saw Him fastened to the Cross
and heard Him begging for help, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me? ” .. .the Cross
of Christ is the key to paradise. The Cross of Christ opened it. Has He not said to you, “the
kingdom o f heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. ” [Mt. 11:12]. Does not the
one on the Cross cause the violence? There is nothing between the Cross and Paradise. The
greatest of pains produces the greatest of rewards.
St. Jerome894
Darkness over the Earth
When they fasted to the Cross the Lord of all, the sun over their heads withdrew and the
light at midday was wrapped in darkness, as the divine Amos had foretold, “There was darkness
from the sixth to the ninth hour. ” [Amos 5:18]. This was a plain sign to the Jews that the minds
of those who crucified Him were wrapped in spiritual darkness, for blindness in part has
happened to Israel [Rom. 11:25]. In his love for God, David even curses them saying, “let their
eyes be darkened, that they may not see. ” [Ps. 69:23].
When Jesus was nailed to the tree between two thieves, it was the end of the sixth hour. It
was between the sixth and ninth hour that the sun was obscured and the darkness prevailed, as
we have it jointly attested on the authority of the three Evangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke.
St. Augustine896
Note how clearly was fulfilled the prophesy of our Savior’s Passion. It was to be day in
which “there shall be no light. ”.. .This was also fulfilled figuratively by His priestly accusers,
for among them came darkness, cold and ice, following upon their indignities to the Anointed
One. Their understanding also was darkened, so that the light of the gospel did not shine in their
hearts, and their love to God grew cold. Then in the evening the light of the knowledge of the
Christ arose, so that they who sat in darkness and the shadow of death saw a great light [Is. 9:2;
Mt. 4:16].
Eusebius of Caesarea897
893 Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Mark.

894 St. Jerome, On Lazarus and Dives, FC v. 57, pp. 209-210.
895 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke 153, CLC pp. 610-611.
896 St. Augustine, Tractates on John 117.1, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7, p. 428.
897 Eusebius of Caesarea, Proof of the Gospel, 10.7, AACS, v. 2, p. 233.
Page 434
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church + The Holy Pascha
There was darkness over the whole land in the middle of the day; thus, “Your feasts
turned into mourning; and all your songs into lamentations ” [Amos 8:10] After the Passions of
Christ, you were scattered and taken, as though, into captivity , as foretold by the Holy Spirit.
The Scholar Tertullian898
They worked on delivering the Author of life to death; so they crucified the Lord of
glory. But, as they nailed the Lord of all to the cross, the sun withdrew from over their heads,
and the light was clothed with darkness, as previously indicated by the prophet Amos through
Divine inspiration [Amos 5:18]... That should have been a clear sign for the Jews, that the minds
of His crucifiers became darkened, as “Hardening in part has happened to IsraeF [Rom. 11:25]
The prophet David, in his love for God, cursed them, saying, “Let their eyes be darkened, so that
they do not see ” [Ps. 69:23]. Yes! Creation itself mourned its Lord; the sun was darkened, the
rocks were split, and the temple itself, seemed to be saddened, as its veil was tom in two from
top to bottom. That was What God meant, saying through the prophet Isaiah: “I clothe the heavens
with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering ” [Is. 50: 3].
At midday, that all that dwell on the earth may know it, when it was day all over the
world; which was enough to convert them, not by the greatness of the miracle only, but also by
its taking place in due season. For after all their insulting, and their lawless derision, this is done,
when they had let go their anger, when they had ceased mocking, when they were satiated with
their insults, and had spoken all that they were minded; then He shows the darkness, in order
that at least so (having vented their anger) they may profit by the miracle. For this was more
marvelous than to come down from the Cross, that being on the cross He should work these
things. For whether they thought He Himself had done it, they should have believed and
feared...They should have been moved to compassion, for that darkness was a token of His
anger at their crime. For that it was not an eclipse, but both wrath and indignation, is not hence
alone manifest, but also by the time, for it continued three hours. Then, an eclipse immediately
takes place.
“Father forgive them fo r they do not know what they do.n
He prayed as man, and as God with the Father, He heard the prayer. Even now He prays
in us, for us, and is prayed to by us. He prays in us as our High Priest. He prays for us as our
head. He is prayed to by us as our God. When He was praying as He hung on the Cross, He
could see and foresee. He could see all His enemies. He could foresee that man of them would
become His friends. That is why He was interceding for them all. They were raging, but He was
praying. They were saying to Pilate, “Crucify, ” but He was crying out, “Father, forgive. ” He
was hanging from the cruel nails, but He did not lose His gentleness. He was asking for pardon
from those whom he was receiving such hideous treatment.
St. Augustine901
An Excerpt from Fr. Tadros Commentary on Mark, p. 221.

899 Ibid.
900 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on Matthew, Homily 83.1, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, p.521.
901 St. Augustine, Sermon 382.2, AACS, v. 3, p. 361.
Page 435
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church 1> The Holy Pascha
The Glory of the Cross

The crucified Jesus Christ, and His royal glory were radiating from the Cross.
St. Ambrose902
Adam had been naked and fair, but his diligent wife labored and made for him a garment
covered with stains. The garden, seeing him thus vile, drove him forth. Through Mary Adam
had another robe which adorned the thief; and when he had become resplended at Christ’s
promise, the garden looking on embraced him in Adam’s place.
Our Lord was crucified, carried on Himself the trespasses of the universe, and
nailed the sin with nails, so as not to reign. He crucified it with Him on Golgotha to prevent
it from killing further generations.
Mar Jacob El-Serougi904
The Cross is glory. Look at what the evangelist says, fo r the Spirit was not yet given,
because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7: 39)
The Cross has abolished the enmity between God and men, presenting reconciliation;
turning earth into heaven; gathering angels together with humans; destroying the fortress of
death; weakening the power of the devil; quenching the authority of sin; rescuing the world from
transgression and reclaiming truth; chasing away the demons; devastating the temples of idols
and canceling their sacrifices; sowing the virtue and establishing the Church!
The Cross is the will of the Father, the glory of the Son, and the joy of the Holy Spirit.
It is the boast of the apostle Paul who says, “ But God forbid that I should glory except in the
cross o f our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ”
[Gal. 6:14]
The Cross is brighter than the sun, of more splendor than its rays. When the sun
darkened the cross shone; the sun darkened, not because it was put out, but because the light of
the cross surpassed it. The cross breaks our chains, and shakes the foundation of the prison of
death. It is the sign of God’s love (John 3: 16)...
The Cross is a fortified stronghold, protector for the rich; fountain for the poor;
defender for the fallen in the nets; a shield for those in battle; a way to overcome lusts and gain
virtues; an amazing and wonderful sign
Again, [St. Paul] reminds them of the Cross, thereby effecting two things; both showing
His care [for them] and persuading them to bear all things nobly, looking to the Master. For (as
He would say) if He who is worshiped of Angels endured to have a little less than the Angels for
your sake, you who are inferior to the Angels should bear all things for His sake.
Then [St. Paul] shows that the Cross is “glory and honor, ” as He Himself also always
calls it, saying, “That the Son o f Man might be glorified” (John 11:5); and, “the Son o f Man is
902 An excerpt taken from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Matthew

903 St. Ephram the Syrian, Hymn on Paradise, 12.10, HOP, p. 164.
904 Mar Jacob El Sarougi, an excerpt taken from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Matthew.
905 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Divine Love, pp. 378-380 (Arabic).
Page 436
g lo r i f ie d (John 12:23.) If then He calls the [sufferings] for His servants’ sake “glory, ” you
should do the same and more.
See the fruit of the Cross, how great it is? Do not fear the matter: for it seems to you
indeed to be depressing, but it brings forth countless good things.
Because Adam touched the tree, he had to run to the fig; he became like the fig tree,
being clothed in its vesture. Adam, like some tree, blossomed with leaves. Then he came to that
glorious tree of the Cross, put on the glory from it, acquired radiance from it, and heard from it
the truth that he would return to Eden once more.
He has subjected all powers, He has subjugated kings, not with the pride of soldiery, but
by the shame of the Cross: not by the fury of the sword, but by hanging on the Wood, by
suffering in the body, by working in the Spirit. His body was lifted up on the Cross, and so He
subdued souls to the Cross; and now what jewel in their diadem is more precious than the Cross
of Christ on the foreheads of kings? In loving Him you will never be ashamed. ...[Therefore
those who are] turning their thoughts to Christ, have run to the Church, have overcome, not any
man, but the devil himself, him that hunts after the souls of the whole world. But they who in
that hesitation have chosen rather to run to the [world], have assuredly been overcome by him
whom the others overcame—overcame in Him who said, “Be o f good cheer, I have overcome
the world. ” For the Captain suffered Himself to be tried, only that He might teach His soldier to
fight.
St. Augustine908
He promised Paradise from the Cross, because He is God the King. He rejoiced upon the
Cross, that all was finished when He drank the vinegar, because He had fulfilled all prophecy
before He died. He was bom for us, suffered for us, died for us, rose again for us. This alone is
necessary for our salvation, to confess the Son of God risen from the dead: why then should we
die in this state of godless unbelief? If Christ, ever secure of His divinity, made clear to us His
death, Himself indifferent to death, yet dying to assure that it was tme humanity that He had
assumed: why should we use this very confession of the Son of God that for us He became Son
of Man and died as the chief weapon to deny His divinity?”
Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Scepter of the majesty of God, did not come in the pomp of
pride or arrogance.. .but in a lowly condition, as the Holy Spirit had declared regarding Him.
906 St. John Chrysostom, Homily IV on Hebrews, §3, s. 1, v. 14.

907 St. Ephram the Syrian, Hymn on Paradise, 12.10, translated by S. Brock, Crestwood, N.Y., St. Vladimir’s
Seminary Press, 1990, p. 164.
908 St. Augustine, Sermon 1.2, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6.
910 St. Clement of Alexandria, Commentary on 1 Cor., Ch. 16: Christ as an example of Humility, ANF, v. 1, 25-26.
Page 437
mKmg of the Jews ”
The superscription [“King of the Jews”] is fittingly above the cross because Christ’s
kingdom does not belong to His human Body but to His divine authority. The superscription is
fittingly above the Cross, He shines above the Cross with the majesty of a king.
St. Ambrose911
He was not hailed as the King of Glory by the angels until He had been censured on the
Cross as “King o f the Jews. ” [Mt. 27:37; Mk. 15:26; Lk. 23:38; Jn. 19:19]...You owe your life
to Him as a debt for these favors. So try as best as you can to be accountable to Him in the same
way that He became accountable for you. Or, do not be crowned with flowers at all if you
cannot bear the thorns, because you cannot be crowned with flowers.
Tertullian912
A StmmMmg Block to the Jews
My spirit is given over to the humble service of the Cross, which is a stumbling block to
unbelievers, but to us salvation and eternal life.
St. Ignatius of Antioch
The Cross is a crown of victory. It has brought light to those blinded by ignorance. It
has released those enslaved by sin. Indeed, it has redeemed the whole of mankind. Do not, then
be ashamed of the Cross of Christ; rather, glory in it. Although it is a stumbling block to the
Jews and folly to the Gentiles, the message of the Cross is our salvation. Of course it is folly
to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it
was not a mere man who died for us, but the son of God, God made man.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
Our God, Jesus Christ, was, according to the appointment of God, conceived in the womb
by Mary, of the seed of David, but by the Holy Spirit. He was bom and baptized, that by His
passion He might purify the water...The Cross of Christ is indeed a stumbling-block to those
that do not believe, but to the believing it is salvation and eternal life.
St. Ignatius913
Because of us, we who have been uncovered because of sin; the God of Glory Jesus was
stripped of His clothes, was tied to the post, and was whipped with ropes and rods in which there
was a chain of bones...Until this innocent body is scattered and its flesh dispersed in
compensation; and His blood is shed to protect our wounds and to cure them. May we praise
Him, for it is He who has killed death by death with His crown of thorns!
St. Ephram the Syrian
Adam received the punishment, ‘Cursed is the ground in your labors; thorns and thistles
shall it bring forth to you.' For this cause Jesus assumes the thorns, that He may cancel the
911 St. Ambrose, Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 10.112-113, AACS. V. 3, p. 363.
912 Tertullian, The Chaplet, 14, FC, v. 64, p. 24, AACS, v. 2, p. 231.
913 St. Ignatius, Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, Ch. 18: The Glory of the Cross, ANF, v. 1, p. 120.
Page 438
sentence; for this cause also was He buried in the earth, that the earth which had been cursed
might receive the blessing instead of a curse.
For the Lord died in those days, that we should no longer do the deeds of death. He gave
His life, that we might preserve our own from the snares of the devil.
St. Athanasius915
You may ask, why didn’t they all marvel [at this] and consider Him to be God? Because
the race of man was then held in a state of great carelessness and corruption. This miracle was
only one, and when it had taken place, immediately passed away; and no one was concerned to
inquire into the cause of it, and great was the prejudice and the habit of ungodliness. They did
not know what was the cause of that which took place, and they thought perhaps this happened
so, in the way of an eclipse or some natural effect. And why do you marvel about them that are
without, that knew nothing, neither inquired by reason of great indifference, when even those
that were in Judea itself, after so many miracles, yet continued using Him despitefully, although
He plainly showed them that He Himself wrought this thing.
Do you turn this benefit into a reproach to God? Will you deem Him little on this
account, that He humbled Himself for your sake, and because to seek for that which had
wandered the Good Shepherd,917 He who lays down His life for the sheep, came upon the
mountains and hills upon which you used to sacrifice, and found the wandering one; and having
formal it, took it upon His shoulders, on which He also bore the wood; and having borne it,
brought it back to the life above; and having brought it back, numbered it among those who have
never strayed. That He lit a candle, His own flesh, and swept the house, by cleansing away the
sin of the world, and sought for the coin, the Royal Image that was all covered up with passions,
and calls together His friends, the Angelic Powers, at the finding of the coin, and makes them
sharers of His joy, as He had before made them sharers of the secret of His Incarnation? That the
Light that is exceeding bright should follow the Candle—Forerunner, and the Word, the Voice,
and the Bridegroom, the Bridegroom’s friend, that prepared for the Lord a peculiar people and
cleansed them by the water in preparation for the Spirit? Do you Reproach God with this?
Do you conceive of Him as less because He girds Himself with a towel and washes His
disciples, and shows that humiliation is the best road to exaltation; because He humbles Himself
for the sake of the soul that is bent down to the ground, that He may even exalt with Himself that
which is bent double under a weight of sin? How comes it that you do not also charge it upon
Him as a crime that He eats with Publicans and at Publicans’ tables, and makes disciples of
Publicans that He too may make some gain. And what gain? The salvation of sinners. If so, one
must blame the physician for stooping over suffering and putting up with evil smells in order to
give health to the sick; and him also who leans over the ditch, that he may, according to the Law,
save the beast that has fallen into it.
He was sent, but sent according to His Manhood, since He was hungry and thirsty and
weary, and was distressed and wept, according to the Laws of human nature... For He is said on
914 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Lecture 13, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 123

915 St. Athanasius, Letter 6, NPNF, s. 2, v. 4, p. 1242.
917 Nicetas says that this refers to St. Gregory’s father, who had ordained him Priest, to assist him in the Cure of
Souls, and whose one desire was that his Son might succeed him in the Bishopric, (footnote in NPNF)
Page 439
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church ^ The Holy Pascha
the one hand to have been betrayed, and on the other it is written that He gave Himself up; and
so too that He was raised and taken up by the Father, and also that of His own power He rose and
ascended. The former belongs to the Good Pleasure, the latter to His own Authority... Do you
stumble at His Flesh? So did the Jews.
Who were the first people to use Crucifixion?919
The earliest known use of Crucifixion dates to the Persian period. Assyrians and the
Persians practiced impalement (mounting a living body on a pointed stake). But the Persians
also crucified as punishment, as the fifth century B.C. Historian Herodotus tells us. The earliest
example we are aware of occurred in 522 B.C. when a Persian official killed an opponent and
then crucified him. A few years later Darius the Great crucified one of the royal judges but then
relented and restored the man to a position of leadership. In neither case do we know what the
cross looked like. Presumably the offenders were only tied to a cross.
Alexander the Great in 332 BC, after the fall of Tyre, crucified 2,000 men of military age
and sold 30,000 others into slavery. The Hasmonean (Maccabean) Alexander Jannaeus (103-76
B.C.) near the end of His reign crucified 800 Pharisees after he put down a revolt in the rebellious
town of Bemeselis, north of the city of Samaria. A few years later, in 71 B.C., at the end of the
Roman slave revolt led by Spartacus, 6,000 recaptured slaves were crucified on crosses set up
along the Appian Way. Then, as is often observed, many Christians were crucified in Rome
during the persecution of Nero, following the great fire of Rome.
We know that at the least Persians, Greeks, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Jews, and
Romans practiced crucifixion. They used crucifixion as a punishment or deterrent for crime and
rebellion. It was especially a punishment for runaway slaves and robbers; slaves often became
brigands. Our Lord, Himself, was crucified between two robbers (Mk. 15:27). Crucifixion was
employed especially in the provinces and it was usually reserved for those who did not possess
Roman citizenship. In time, however, some lower-class Romans suffered Crucifixion.
Constantine finally abolished the practice.
Prayer
Today, He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross. He who is King
of the angels is arrayed in a crown of thorns. He who wraps the heavens in clouds is wrapped in
the purple of mockery. He who in the Jordan set Adam free, receives blows upon His face. The
Bridegroom of the church is affixed to the cross with nails. The son of the Virgin is pierced by a
spear. We worship Your passions, O Christ. Show us also Your Holy Resurrection...
You have redeemed us from the curse of the law by Your precious Blood: nailed to the
Cross and pierced by the spear, You have poured forth immortality upon mankind. O our Savior,
glory be to You.
My Lord and Savior, Your body is tom by whips and I wear nice clothes, living lavishly
and carelessly. You are given the myrrh to drink, and I enjoy the desires of life. You comfort my
pains and sufferings and I refuse to repent. I ask You to have mercy upon me, for I know how
tender is Your overflowing mercy.920
918 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Second Oration, NPNF, s. 2, v. 8.

919 The following is the summary of an article written by Vos, H. F. in Nelson’s Newillustrated Bible Manners and
Customs : How thepeople of the Bible really lived, T. Nelson Publishers: Nashville, Term.
920 The Road to the Cross, pp. 586-588.
Page 440
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church ▼ The Holy Pascha
The model of first-century Jerusalem921

(The upper city with some public buildings, but especially houses of the wealthy with their open
courtyards)
921Photo by Ben Chapman, located at the Holyland Hotel in West Jerusalem. Vos, H. F. 1999. Nelson’s New
illustrated Bible manners and Customs: How the people of the Bible really lived. T. Nelson Publishers: Nashville,
Tenn.
Page 441
N inth H o i / r
T he D eath o f C hrist
Jer. 11:18-12:13, Zech. 14:5-11

Phil. 2:4-1 l;Ps. 69:1,2,21
“My spirit bows in adoration to the cross,

which is a stumbling-block to those who do not believe,
but is to you for salvation and eternal life.”
St. Ignatius922
922 St. Ignatius, The Second Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, Ch. 18, ANF, v. 1, p. 202.
Page 442
“O you who gave up the spirit into the hands o f the father when You were hanged on the
Cross in the Ninth Hour and let the thief into entering Paradise; neglect me not, O Good One... ”
(the Book of Agpeya, Ninth Hour Litany)...
In this hour, the Church stands at the Cross, looking at His great act of love flowing from
it. Our Savior has conquered death by death! Blessed is this moment in which our Lord bowed
His head and gave up His Spirit. The moment terrified Satan and tied him down while those
who had fallen asleep in Christ rejoiced.
“For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be
judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. ” (1 Pet. 4:6) It is
the same moment during which the thief to the right entered Paradise opening its door to the rest
of the human race. The darkness of this frightening death was dissipated by the passing of our
Savior through it. Death no longer has any dominion over those who died in Jesus Christ.
Jeremiah the prophet tells us in this hour, “But I was like a docile lamb brought to the
slaughter; and I did not know that they had devised schemes against me, saying, “Let us destroy
the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him offfrom the land o f the living. ” (Jer. 11:19)
My Lord and Master, they were wrong to assume that they could eradicate You from life,
while You are its origin, its provider, and its sustainer. By going through death You changed our
human understanding of it. For now death in Christ became not only life, but also eternity.
Zechariah the prophet announces to us, “And in that day it shall be that living waters
shall flow from Jerusalem, half o f them toward the eastern sea and a half o f them toward the
western sea; and the Lord shall be King over all the earth. ” [Zech. 14:8-9] He is the living
Water even though He did die from the Cross. However, we chant with the angels, saying, “Holy
God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal. ” It seems that the Spirit in this prophesy wanted to reveal to
us the totality of the kingdom of Christ, as living water to whoever wishes to come and drink—
the Jews (the first eastern sea) the gentiles (the western sea). And the Lord shall be King over all
the earth.923
Also the reading of Philippians explains the cry of the Lord in the gospels. As Origen
states, when the Lord “emptied Himself and took the form of a servant, ” “He accepted the
shame and death on the Cross, where virtually all of humanity abandons the Lord. During this
time, the Lord did not abandon Him, as some commentators believe. Instead, the Lord glorified
Him, accepted His sacrifice as a sweet aroma that was pleasing to Him (as we declare in the
famous hymn, Fai etaf emf).”
The spear supposedly entered from the right side, diagonally, ending in the heart. This
was a prophesy mentioned in the Psalms: “My heart is wounded (literally, pierced) ” (Ps.
109:21, 22) The soldier who trust this spear was named Longinus. After witnessing this majestic
event, he confessed Christianity and became a martyr.
During the 9th hour, candles are lit before the Icon of the Crucifixion. The presbyters,
with their heads uncovered and wearing their liturgical robes, cense the icon. In the presence of
the bishop, they cense and bow before him without kissing his hand or the cross.
The hymn “The Golden Censor” (Ti Shori) is chanted while the priests begin to raise
incense. Also chanted during this hour is the hymn “For the Resurrection” (ethveti anastasis),
which points to the future resurrection, the hope in the Cross and fruit of His death.
923 Fr. Pishoy Kamel, From Jerusalem to Golgotha, JTG, p. 70.
Page 443
J eremiah 11:18-12:13
of it, and I know it; for Y ou show ed m e their doings. ^ B u t I was like
N ow the L o r d gave m e know ledge
a docile lamb brought to the slaughter; and I did not know that they had devised schemes against me, saying,
“Come, let us cast wood in His bread and let us cut Him off from the land of the living, that His name may be
remembered no more.” 924
^ B u t, o L o r d of hosts, You who judge righteously, Testing the mind and the heart, Let me see Your
vengeance on them, For to You I have revealed my cause.
21’’Therefore thus says the L o r d concerning the men of Anathoth who seek your life, saying, ‘Do not
prophesy in the name of the L o rd , lest you die by our hand’-- ^ th e r e f o r e thus says the L o r d of hosts: ‘Behold, I
will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine; ^ a n d
there shall be no remnant of them, for I will bring catastrophe on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their
punishment.’ “
12:1 Rjghteous are You, O L o r d , when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about Yourjudgments.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? ^You have planted
them, yes, they have taken root; They grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth But far from their
mind.
3But You, O L o rd , know me; You have seen me, And You have tested my heart toward You. Pull them
out like sheep for the slaughter, And prepare them for the day of slaughter. ^How long will the land mourn,
And the herbs of every field wither? The beasts and birds are consumed, For the wickedness of those who dwell
there, Because they said, “He will not see our final end.”
^”If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they weariedyou,
Then how will you do in the floodplain of the
Jordan? ^For even your brothers, the house of your father, Even they have dealt treacherously with you; Yes, they
have called a multitude after you. Do not believe them, Even though they speak smooth words to you.
7”i have forsaken M y house, I have left M y heritage; I have given the dearly beloved o f M y soul into the
hand of her enemies. 8My heritage is to Me like a lion in the forest; It cries out against Me; Therefore I have hated
it. ^My heritage is to Me like a speckled vulture; The vultures all around are against her. Come, assemble all the
beasts of the field, Bring them to devour!
10”Many rulers have destroyed My vineyard, They have trodden My portion underfoot; They have made
My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. ^ T h ey have made it desolate; Desolate, it mourns to Me; The whole
land is made desolate, Because no one takes it to heart. ^ T h e plunderers have come On all the desolate heights in
the wilderness, For the sword of the L o r d shall devour From one end of the land to the other end of the land; No
flesh shall have peace.
l^ T h e y have sow n w heat b ut reaped thorns; T hey have p ut them selves to pain but do not profit. B ut be
asham ed o f your harvest B ecause o f the fierce anger o f the L o r d .”
“Let ms cast wood in His bread”
The Lord Christ speaks for Himself: “I was like a docile lamb brought to the slaughter;
And I did not know. ... ”They thought about Me, saying: ‘Let us cast wood in His bread’”. If
the Jews have crucified Him, which we know for sure, how could we connect between this issue,
and the last phrase? It is something difficult to understand!
The bread of the Lord Christ is the word, the teaching on which we feed; When the
Jews saw Him teaching the multitude, they intended to corrupt His teaching by crucifying Him;
and said, “Let us cast wood in His bread”. Adding the Crucifixion of the Lord Christ to His
924 As Justin Martyr mentions, the Jews have cut out this one verse in Jeremiah, as well as many others, hundreds of
years ago. Although the KJV and NKJV do contain this verse, however, the translation is slightly different than the
original Septuagint. See the comments below.
Page 444
teachings, is like casting wood in His bread. When those people gathered together to plot against
The Holy Pascha
Him, they said, “Let us cast wood in His bread”

I have another view of this, which is: The wood cast in His bread, made it stronger
and more effective. As the wood that was cast by Moses into the bitter water made it sweet (Ex.
15: 25), likewise, when the “tree” of love of the Lord Christ, was added to His teachings, it made
His bread more sweet and delicate. Actually, before the “tree” was added to His “bread”; namely
during the time of His teaching that preceded the cross, His words “have not gone out to the end
o f the world” (Ps. 19: 4). But, once the “bread” gained power through the “tree” that was cast in
it, His words did go out to the end of the world.
The “tree” in the Old had been a symbol of the love of the Lord Christ, by which the
bitter water became sweet. For I believe that, if the law is not understood by the spiritual
meaning, it would be “bitter water”; but by the coming of the “tree” of the crucifixion of the
Lord Christ, and the coming of His teachings, the law of Moses became sweet...
The One against whom they said,: ’’Let us cut him offfrom the land o f the living; that his
name may be remembered no more”, says: “ Unless a grain o f wheat falls into the ground and
dies, it remains alone; But if it dies it produces much grain” (John 12: 24).. If the Lord Christ
was not crucified and did not die, the grain of wheat would have stayed alone, and the multitudes
would not have got fruit by Him and followed Him. But His death gave fruits, represented by all
the Christians. So, if death has produced all these fruits, how much more would resurrection
produce?!
For of this tree [which symbolizes the Cross] likewise it is that God hints, through
Jeremiah, that you would say, “Come, let us put wood into his bread, and let us wear him away
out o f the land o f the living; and his name shall no more be remembered. ” Of course on His body
that “wood” was put; for so Christ has revealed, calling His body “bread,” whose body the
prophet in bygone days announced under the term “bread.” If you shall still seek for predictions
of the Lord’s cross, the twenty-first Psalm will at length be able to satisfy you, containing as it
does the whole passion of Christ; singing, as He does, even at so early a date, His own glory.
Tertullian926
Ze c ha ria h 14:5-11
Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you
shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah.
Thus the L o r d my God will come, And all the saints with You.
Ît shall come to pass in that day That there will be no light; The lights will diminish. Ît shall be one
day W hich is kn o w n to the L o r d - Neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen That it will be
light.
8And in that day it shall be That living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, Half of them toward the eastern
sea And half of them toward the western sea; In both summer and winter it shall occur. Ând the L o r d shall be
King over all the earth. In that day it shall be-- “The L o r d is one,” And His name one.
10All the land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be
raised up and inhabited in her place from Benjamin’s Gate to the place of the First Gate and the Comer Gate, and
from the Tower of Hananeel to the king’s winepresses.
1 1The people shall dwell in it; And no longer shall there be utter destruction, But Jerusalem shall be safely
inhabited.
925 Excerpt from Fr. Tadros Malaty’s Commentary on Isaiah.

Page 445
f The Holy Pascha
“Neither day nor night”
Christ was judged in the night, when it was cold, therefore a fire of coal was laid.
He was suffered in the third hour, and “from the sixth hour there was darkness until the ninth
hour. ” [Mat. 27:45] But from the ninth hour there was light again. Are these details written
down [in the prophets]? Let us see. Zechariah says, “And it shall come to pass in that day, and
there shall be no light but cold and fronts through one day (the cold on account of which Peter
warmed himself),and that day shall be known to the Lord. ” (what did He not know other days?
There are many days, but “this is the day which the Lord has made. ” [Ps. 118:24]
“And that day shall be known to the LORD— and that day shall be neither day nor night. ”
What dark saying does the prophet utter? That day is neither day nor night. What then shall we
call it? The gospel interprets it, telling of the event. It was not day, for the sun did not shine
without interruption from rising to setting, but from the sixth hour to the ninth hour there was
darkness. The darkness was interposed, but God called the darkness night. Therefore it was
neither all light, so as to be called day, nor all darkness, so as to be called night; but after
the ninth hour the sun shone forth. This also the prophet foretells; for after saying, “not day
nor night ” he adds, “and in the time o f the evening there shall be light. ” Do you see the truth of
the events foretold?
P H I L I P P I A N S 2 : 4 - 1 1
^Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. ^Let this mind
be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ^who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal
with God, ^but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness
of men. Ând being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point o f
death, even the death of the cross. ^Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is
above every name, ^ th a t at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and
of those under the earth, ^ a n d that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father.
He emptied Himself and took the form of a servant.
In emptying Himself He became a man and was incarnate while remaining truly God.
Having become a man, He remained the God that He was. He assumed a body like our own,
differing only in that it was bom from the Virgin by the Holy Spirit....The Son, emptying
Himself of His equality with the Father and showing us a way of knowing Him, was made an
express image of His substance [Heb. 1:3] so that we who were unable to see the glory of pure
light that inhered in the greatness of His divinity might, through that which was made splendor
for us, find a way of contemplating the divine light through the sight of that splendor.
The Scholar Origen9 8
He let Himself be emptied. It was not through any compulsion by the Father. He
complied of His own accord with the Father’s good pleasure.
927 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, “First Catechetical Lecture,” Lecture 13, NPNF, s.2, v.2, p. 251.
928The Scholar Origen, on First Principles, Preface, 1.2.8, AACS,, 8, pp. 242-243.
929 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Dialogues on the Trinity, 1, AACS NT 8, p. 243.
Page 446
What sort of emptying is this? To assume the flesh, even in the form of a slave, a
likeness to ourselves while not being like us in His own nature but superior to the whole creation.
Thus He emptied Himself, descending by His economy into mortal bounds.
God did all things through Him. therefore He is also said to have taken the form o f a
slave. It is not only the flesh of the slave that He assumed but the very nature of a slave that He
assumed. He became a slave so that He could share human suffering in the flesh.
And even the word emptied clearly affirms that He was not always as He appeared to
using history... He emptied Himself as the apostle says, by contracting the ineffable glory of His
Godhead within our small compass. In this way what He was remained great and perfect and
incomprehensible, but what He assumed was commensurate with the measure of our own
nature...He emptied Himself, so that as much as nature could hold it might receive....The one
who says that He took the form o f a slave932-—and this form is flesh—is saying that, being
Himself something else according to His divine form, something else in His Nature, He assumed
the servile form.
Since He is emptied on our account when He came down (and by emptying I mean as it
were the reduction and lessening of His glory), He is for this reason able to be received.
He honored the Father all the more, not that you may honor Him less but that you may
marvel all the more. Here we learn that He is truly a Son who honors His Father more than all
else. No one could have honored God the Father more than God the Son. The measure of His
humility corresponds with the depth of His humanity... It was a great thing, ineffably great, that
He became a slave. But to undergo death was much greater. Where can anything be found more
paradoxical than this? This death was the most shameful of all, the most accursed. And He in
death appeared to be a criminal. This was not an ordinary death. [Deu. 21:23; Gal. 3:13]
He is said to have emptied Himself in no other way than by taking the form of a servant,
not by losing the form of God. for that nature by which he is equal to the Father in the form of
God remained immutable while He took our mutable nature through which He was bom of the
Virgin.
St. Augustine936
930 St. Cyril of Alexandria, on the Unity of Christ, AACS NT 8, p. 243.

931 St. Clement of Alexandria, Excerpts from Theodotus, 19.4-5, AACS NT 8, p. 245.
932 Many translators have commented that the word “slave” is actually more accurate understanding than the word
“servant”.
933 St. Gregory of Nyssa, Antirrheticus Against Apollinarius, AACS, 8, p. 242, 244, 245.
934 St. Gregory of Nyssa, Oration 37.2, AACS, 8, p. 244.
935 St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Philippians 8.2.5-11, AACS NT, v.8, pp. 249, 250.
936 St. Augustine, Contra Faustum, 3.6, AACS,, 8, p. 242.
Page 447
He emptied Himself not because as eternal Wisdom He underwent change. For as eternal
Wisdom He is absolutely changeless. Rather without changing He chose to become known to
humanity in such a humble form.
St. Augustine937
The Son humbled Himself, taking the form of a slave. But meanwhile He remained
above any slavery because He had no stain of sin.
St. Augustine938
To assume the form of a slave, He emptied Himself out of obedience. He emptied

Himself that is from the form o f God, which means equality with God.. .Humility is hard, since
the One who humbles Himself has something magnificent in His nature that works against
His lowering. The One who becomes obedient, however, undertakes the act of obedience
voluntarily. It is precisely through the act of humbling that He becomes obedient...
He tempered Himself to the form of the human state as far as was necessary to
ensure that the weakness of the assumed humility would not fail to beat His immeasurable
power. He went even so far as to tolerate conjunction with a human body. Just this far did His
goodness moderate itself with an appropriate degree of obedience. But in making Himself empty
and restraining Himself within Himself, He did nothing detrimental to His own power, since
even within this lowliness of His self-emptying He nonetheless used the resources of the
evacuated power within Him.
Read the record of His compassion. It please Him, being the Word of God, to take the
form of a servant. So He willed to be joined to our common human condition. He took to
Himself the toils of the members who suffer. He made out human maladies His own. He
suffered and toiled on our behalf. This is in accord with His great love of humankind.
Eusebius of Caesarea940
Matthew 2 7 : 4 6 - 5 0
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is,
“My God, M y God, why have You forsaken M e?” ^ S o m e of those who stood there, when they heard that, said,
“This Man is calling for Elijah!” Îm mediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put
it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. ^ T h e rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save
Him.” ^ A n d Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
Ma rk 15:3 4 - 3 7
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is
translated, “My Gody My God, why have You forsaken M e?” 35§ome 0f those who stood by, when they heard
that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!” 36jhen someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a
reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.”
3 7And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.
937 St. Augustine, On Faith and the Creed, 18, AACS, v. 8, p. 242.
938 St. Augustine, On the Grace of Christ and On Original S in , 2 (28). 33.18, AACS, v. 8, p. 244.
939 St. Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, 8.45, 11.30, 12.48, AACS, v. 8, p. 242, 244, 250.
940 Eusebius of Caesarea, Demonstration of the Gospel, 10.1.22, AACS v. 8, p. 245.
Page 448
L uke 23:45-46
Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was tom in two. 46And when Jesus had cried out
with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit. ' " Having said this, He breathed His last.
JOHN 19:28-30
After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said,
“I thirst!” 29now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on
hyssop, and put it to His mouth. ^ S o when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing
His head, He gave up His spirit.
“My God, My God why have Youforsaken M e *
Certain people, in an outward of piety for Jesus, because they are unable to explain how
Christ could be forsaken by God, believe that this saying from the Cross is truly only an
expression of His humility. We, however, who know that He who was “in the form o f God"
[Phil. 2:6] descended from the greatness of His stature and emptied Himself, “taking the form o f
a servant ” [Phil 2:7] according to the will of the One who sent Him understand that He was
indeed forsaken by the Father inasmuch as He who was the form of the invisible God and the
Image of the Father “took the form a o f a servant ”
He was forsaken for people so that He might shoulder so great a work and come “even to
death ” and “the death o f the Cross ” [Phil 2:8], a work which seems thoroughly shameful to
most people. For it was the height of His abandonment when they crucified Him with thieves
and when “those who passed by blasphemed Him and wagged their heads. ” [Mt. 27:39]. The
chief priests and scribes said, “He saved others but He cannot save Himself. ” [Mt. 27:42] At
that time, “even the thieves reviled Him ” on the Cross. [Mt. 27:44]
Clearly then you will be able to understand the saying “Why have You forsaken Me. ”
When you compare the glory Christ had in the presence of the Father with the contempt He
sustained on the Cross, for His throne was “like the sun in the presence o f God and like the moon
establishedforever; and He as His faithful witness in heaven. ” [Ps. 88:36-37]...
[After the eclipse of the sun] He speaks, so that they might learn that He was still alive.
He did this so they might become by this also more gentle. He said, “Eli, Eli, lama
sabachthani? ” that unto His last breath they might see that He honors His Father, and is no
adversary of God. Therefore He also uttered a certain cry from the prophet, even to His last
hour bearing witness to the Old Testament, and not simply a cry from the prophet, but also in
Hebrew, so as to be plain and intelligible to them, and by all things He shows how He is of
one mind with Him that begat Him.
What shamelessness, and greed, and folly! They thought (it is said) that it was Elijah
whom He called, and straightway they gave Him vinegar to drink. But another came unto Him,
and “pierced His side with a spear. ” What could be more lawless, what more brutal, than these
men; who carried their madness to so great a length, offering insult at last even to a dead body?
941 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew 135, AACS, lb, p. 294.
Page 449
Others again are said in the manner of association and relation, as, ” My God, My God,
why have You forsaken Me? ” and He has made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin, and
being made a curse for us. Also, "Then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put
all things under Him. ” For neither as God nor as man was He ever forsaken by the Father,
nor did He become sin or a curse, nor did He require to be made subject to the Father. For
as God He is equal to the Father and not opposed to Him nor subjected to Him; and as God,
He was never at any time disobedient to His Begetter to make it necessary for Him to make Him
subject. Appropriating, then, our person and ranking Himself with us, He used these words. For
we are bound in the fetters of sin and the curse as faithless and disobedient, and therefore
forsaken.
In His most compassionate humanity and through His servant form we may now learn
what is to be despised in this life and what is to be hoped for in eternity. In that very passion in
which is proud enemies seemed most triumphant, He took on the speech of our infirmity, in
which “our sinful nature was crucified with Him. ” [Rom. 6:6] that body of sin might be
destroyed, and said, “My God, My God why have You forsaken Me. "...Thus the Psalm begins,
which was sung so long ago, in the prophesy of His Passion and the revelation of the Grace in
which He brought to raise up His faithful and set them free....
Out of the voice of the Psalmist, which our Lord then transferred to Himself, in the
voice of this infirmity of ours, He spoke these words, “My God, My God why have You
forsaken Me. "[Ps. 22:1; Mt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34; Lk. 23:44] He is doubtless forsaken in the sense
that His plea was not directly granted. Jesus appropriated the Psalmist’s voice to Himself, the
voice of human weakness. The benefits of the Old Covenant had to be refused in order that we
might learn to pray and hope for the benefits of the New Covenant. Among those goods of the
Old Covenant which belonged to the old Adam there is a special appetite for the prolonging of
this temporal life. But this appetite itself is not eternal, for we all know that the day of death will
come. Yet all of us, or nearly all, strive to postpone it, even those who believe that their life after
death will be a happier one. Such force has the sweet partnership of flesh and soul. [Eph. 5:29]
St. Augustine944
The Sponge and Vinegar
One can use the spiritual sense of this text profitably against those who write malicious
things against Christ. Concerning them, Isaiah says “Woe to those who write wickedness. ” [Is.
10:1] If those who publish such things are speaking “iniquity in the highest. ” [Ps. 72:8], some
will use this text with a view toward those who, constructing a narrative gathered from pagan
tongues, fill the sponge not with the word that is drinkable or with the wine which “gladdens the
heart” [Ps. 103:15] or with the water of restoration [Ps. 22:2]. But, on the contrary, with
poisonous, undrinkable, unwise vinegar. They place this sponge on the reed of their writing and
(as far as they are able) seem to offer a swallow of these diatribes for Jesus to drink. Others give
Jesus to “drink wine mixed with gall ” which Jesus the Son of God does not want. Others offer
Him vinegar instead of wine. Others offer Him “wine mixed with gall” when they, having
understood the doctrine of the Church, live unworthily of it. Those who attribute to the lips of
943 St. John of Damascus, “Concerning our Lord’s Praying,” NPNF, s. 2. v. 9, p. 850.
944 St. Augustine, Letters, 140 to Honoratus, 5-6, FC, v. 20, pp. 16-69; AACS v. 2, p. 234.
Page 450
Christ doctrines that are alien to the truth turn the metaphor around, and fill the sponge with
vinegar, place it on a reed and drink it themselves.
Among the other things prophesied about Him, it was also written, “They gave Me poison
for drink and for My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink. ” [Ps. 69:21] We know in the gospel
how these things happened. First, they gave Him gall. He took it, tasted it, and spit it out. Later,
while hanging on the Cross, that all prophesies might be fulfilled, He said, “I thirst. ” [Jn. 19:28]
They took a sponge full of vinegar, fasted it on a reed, and offered it to Him as he hung there.
He took it and said, “It is finished. ” [Jn. 19:30] What does “It is finished” mean? All that had
been prophesied before My Passion has been fulfilled. What then is there still for Me to do?
St. Augustine946
Me gives up His Spirit
Those robbers crucified next to Him, did they breathe their last when they wanted to?
They were held fast by the chains of the flesh because they were not the creators of the flesh.
Fastened by nails, they were tormented for a long time because they were not masters of their
infirmity [Jn. 19:32-33]. But the Lord took on flesh in the virgin’s womb when He wished it.
He came forth to humanity when He wished it. He departed from the flesh when He wished it.
This is a sign of power, not of necessity.
St. Augustine947
He departed by His [own power]; for He had not come by necessity. And so some
marveled more at His power of dying than at His power of performing miracles.
St. Augustine9 8
“When Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He yielded up the spirit. ” This refers to
what He had earlier said, “I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it up
again ” and “I lay it down Myself. ” [Jn. 10:18]. So for this cause he cried with the voice, that it
might be shown that the act is down by His own power.
He suitably “gave up ” the Spirit because He willingly gave Him up. Matthew says
“yielded up His Spirit” because what is yielded is spontaneous, but what is lost is unavoidable.
Since this is true, he added, “with a loud voice. ” He did this with a glorious declaration that He
descended to death for our sins. I do not blush to confess what Christ did not blush to proclaim
in a loud voice. This was a clear revelation of God witnessing to the separation of the Godhead
and the flesh.
St. Ambrose950
945 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew 137, AACS, lb, p. 295.
946 St. Augustine, Tractates on John, 37.9, FC v. 88, pp. 102-103.
947 St. Augustine, Tractates on John, 37.9, FC v. 88, p. 1Q3.
948 St. Augustine, Tractates on John, 31.6, FC v. 88, p. 35. x
950 St. Ambrose, Exposition of the Gospel of Luke 10.127, AACS 3, p. 369.
Page 451
If giving up the spirit or (according to John) handing over the Spirit were simply
tantamount to dying, it would be easy to understand this passage. However, since discerning
minds define death to be nothing other than the separation of the soul from the body, we can see
that yielding up one’s spirit is something more than simply dying physically. It is quite
something else to “cry out with a loud voice and give up the spirit ” (as in Matthew) or to
commit one’s spirit to the hand of God (as in Luke [23:46]) or to bow one’s head and hand over
his spirit (as in John [19:30]). It is for all people to die, including the evil, because the soul of
every person, including the unrighteous, will be separated from the body.
But to cry out with a loud voice and give up the spirit, which is equivalent to
committing the spirit to the hand of God, or to bow the head and hand over the spirit, is
reserved only for the saints who, like Christ Himself, have prepared themselves for God
through good works so that when they leave this world they might with confidence commit
themselves to the hand of God, or hand over their spirits.
If therefore we now understand what it means to cry out with a loud voice and thus to
give up the spirit, that is, to commit oneself to the hand of God (as we have explained above in
accordance with Luke’s Gospel) and if we understand what it means to bow the head and hand
over the spirit, let us hasten to guard the conduct of our lives so that, upon our deaths, we also,
like Jesus, might be able to cry out with a loud voice and thus to give up our spirit to the Father.
The TesHmmy ofAll Creation in His Death
Creation itself mourned its Lord. The sun was darkened, the rocks were split, the temple
put on mourner’s clothes. Its veil was split from the top to the bottom. This is what God
signified to us by the voice of Isaiah, saying, “/ clothe the heavens with blackness, and make
sackcloth their covering. ”
If He had been the son of a foreign god, the sun would not have eclipsed when the Lord
was raised on His Cross. The Creator would have spread out a more intense light, because His
enemy would have been withdrawn from His sight. He would have cause His light to shine on
the Jews, because they would have been doing His will. He would have clothed the temple with
a curtain of glory, because its enemy’s death would have purified its sad impurities, and the
breaker of its law would have gone out from it.
951 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew 138, AACS, lb, pp. 295-296.
952 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke 153, CLC pp. 610-611.
953 St. Ephram the Syrian, Commentary on Tatian’s Diatesseron 21.3, AACS, v. 3 p. 368.
Page 452
T he Eleventh H o u r
T he Fo u n t a in of Liv in g W a ter a n p th e Passover Lam b
Ex. 12:1-14,43; Lev. 23:5-15; Ps. 142:6,7; 30:5
This is the hour of the Passover lamb. Included in this hour are three passages by Fr.
Pishoy Kamel, Fr. Tadros Malaty, and St. Gregory Nazianzen regarding Christ as the Passover
lamb.
In the Ninth Hour, the Lord thirsted. He reminded us of the thirst which He mentioned to
the Samaritan woman. But truly, we were in need of the Living Water that flows from the spring
that the Logos spoke of to her. During this hour, we read of the fountain of living water that
sprang as the water of salvation, both in the Old and New Testaments.
First, we read of the story of Moses in Exodus, who struck the rock in the desert. Water
sprang that quenched the thirst of the Israelites in the desert. Then, we read the institution of the
covenant by God’s people to remember the Passover each year.
The Psalmist echoes this desire to be given the spiritual drink, imploring the Lord, “My
soul thirsts for You as a dry land” But who thirsts for whom? We thirst for the living Water, the
waters of baptism, the blood that purges all of our sins, the salvation of our souls, bodies and
spirits. But truly He thirsts for our tears, our repentance, our love for Him.
Another prophesy within this psalm concerns the other main event in this hour—the end
of the struggle and sacrifice of our Lord. For in this hour, we meditate on the words spoken by
our Lord, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). This is the Lord’s declaration that all of His promises
have been completely fulfilled for all of humanity. After He declares this, Longinus the soldier
pierces the side of our Savior with the spear, blood and water came out from His wound.
The gospels speak to us of this sacrifice. As Fr. Pishoy Kamel said, “He is in our midst,
now crucified. He opens His arms the whole day for our entire life. His blood pours out of His
wounded side—a sign on our homes and our hearts as the new Covenant which takes us from
death to life. The water cleanses us and grants us purity, meekness, peace and love. These are
the fruits of the Spirit given to us through baptism (the water). Your pierced side, Jesus is the
stain of blood for us to be partners in Your Cross. The water is for the beginning of the new life
and the end of the authority of sin. In the ninth hour, You were thirsty. Actually, You wanted
me to feel thirsty and drink from Your living water. Now in the Eleventh Hour, You offered me
this water.”954
This fountain is both of blood and water, as prophesied in the book of Joel, “the
mountains shall drip with new wine, The hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks o f Judah
shall be flooded with water; a fountain shall flow from the house o f the Lord. ” (Joel 3:18).
954 Fr. Pishoy Kamel, FTG, pp. 72-73.
Page 453
Christ, the Pmsmer lamb
According to the instructions the Lord gave to Moses mentioned in Exodus 12, the
Passover lamb was:
1) without blemish (Ex. 12:15)
2) a young male, (v. 15)
3) examined four days from the selection of the sacrifice (10th of Nissan)
4) slain in public,
5) roasted in the fire (v. 8, 9)
6) left without none of its bones broken (v. 46)
7) a saving lamb for the children of Israel, if they placed its blood on the doorposts of the
Israelites (v.7).
These seven characteristics were fulfilled through the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thus, St. John the Baptist declares Him to be “the Lamb o f God who takes away the sins o f the
world. ” (John 1:29). In this manner, the Passover Lamb is a type of our beloved Lord.
1) was without blemish, in whom was found no guile or deceit (John 1:47)
2) was a young male, estimated to be 30 years old at the start of His ministry and 33 at the
time of His Crucifixion.
3) entered into Jerusalem on the 10th of Nissan to be heavily examined by the Jews;
4) was brutally slain on the most populated time of the year in Israel;
5) Endured the fire of sufferings, accusations and ridicule;
6) was crucified without any of His bones broken (John 19:36);
7) whose blood shed on the Cross saves us all from our sin (Rom. 5:9) and redeems us from
our condemnation (Col. 1:14; Heb 9:12-13, 22; Rev 1:5).
If we enquire further into the significance of Jesus being pointed out by John, when he
says, “This is the Lamb o f God which takes away the sin o f the world, ” we may take our stand at
the dispensation of the bodily advent of the Son of God in human life, and in that case we shall
conceive the Lamb to be no other than the Man. For the Man “was led like a sheep to the
slaughter, and as a lamb, dumb before his shearers, ” saying, “I was as like a gentle lamb led to
the slaughter. ” Hence, too, in the Apocalypse a Lamb is seen, standing as if slain. [Rev. 5:6]
This slain lamb has been made, according to certain hidden reasons, a purification of the
whole world, for which, according to the Father’s love to man, He submitted to death,
purchasing us back by His own blood from him who had got us into his power, sold under
sin. And He who led this lamb to the slaughter was God in man, the great High-Priest, as
He shows by the words: “No one takes My life away from Me, but I lay it down o f Myself I
have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” [John 10:18]
955 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, Book 6, Ch. 35, ANF. v. 10.
Page 454
E x o d u s 12 14 4 3
Now the L or d spoke to Moses and Aaron m the land of Egypt, saying, ^’’This month shall be your
beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying:
‘On the tenth day of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb
for a household. Ând if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it
according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb.
5Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.
^Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of
Israel shall kill it at twilight. Ând they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel
of the houses where they eat it. ^Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread
and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. ^Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire—its head
with its legs and its entrails. ^ Y o u shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning
you shall bum with fire. ^ *And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and
your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the L o r d ’s Passover. ^ F o r I will pass through the land
of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the
gods o f E gypt I w ill execute judgm ent: I am the L o r d . ^ n ow the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses w here
you are. A n d w hen I see the blood, I w ill pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you w hen I
strike the land of Egypt. ^ S o this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the L ord
throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance...
And the L o r d said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it.
The Two Passovers by Fr. Pishoy Kamef56
The First Passover: Overcoming Temptation and Sin

The Passover first began with the commandment of the Lord given to Moses, that the
blood of the lamb be placed on the door poses of the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. That
night, they were to eat bitter herbs, have their loins girded, their sandals on their feet, their staff
in their hand (Ex. 12).
It continued that through the shedding of blood of the lamb, there came forgiveness.
“And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of
blood there is no remission. ” (Heb. 9:22).
On the night of their exodus from Egypt, the Lord commanded the Israelites to roast the
lamb, and eat unleavened bread with bitter herbs. (Exodus 12:8) The meat that the Jews would
feast upon was not raw or unbaked, but cooked in fire. The lamb had to suffer through fire, it
had to suffer. This meat had a sweet smell, but a bitter taste. Such is the great reminder of sin-
however pleasing it may seem to our senses, however alluring it may be to us, we must never
forget the bitter sadness of its consequences. This bitterness lies within the cross: “He has filled
me with bitterness, he has made me drink wormwood. ” (Lam. 3:15)
The Christian life is full of bitter herbs that bring forth a sweet, saintly aroma. One type
of herb comes from loving of our enemies. Another comes from serving the Lord in difficult
circumstances—either a family difficulty or a conflict in our schedules. There is a garden of
bitter herbs awaiting you in prayer and vigil in times of weakness, sorrow, or confusion. When
you fast, you taste of these bitter herbs...you have experienced the Cross. By choosing to take
this narrow and difficult path, by submitting to travel along the Via Dolorosa, “we are to God
956 See Fr. Pishoy Kamel, PBB.
Page 455
the fragrance o f Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. ”
(2 Corinthians 2:15)
Christ, Himself became the true and ultimate Passover Lamb, the fulfillment of this
prophesy. “For indeed, Christ our Passover is sacrificedfor us.” (1 Cor. 5:7) After the disciples
had eaten the Passover Meal, the Old Testament had been fulfilled. Our Lord and Savior
perfected the Passover meal by offering His Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine.
This was the “marriage supper of the Lamb” discussed in Revelation 19:9.
That is why Christ proclaimed that “Every time you shall eat o f this bread and drinkfrom
this cup you proclaim My death and confess My resurrection. ” Thus, every liturgy brings forth
an epiphany; every communion becomes a sermon. This however, was only the first Passover.
The Second Passover: Faith and Baptism

The Second Passover was the crossing of the Red Sea by Moses and the Israelites. Just
as Moses had parted its waters and crushed Pharaoh’s soldiers, Christ had destroyed the soldiers
of Satan at the bottom of the sea. Moses used His staff; Christ used the cross. They both spread
their arms as an eagle, one divided waters between two nations; the Other separated the gap
between two worlds.
In our lives, this Passover is the grave importance of baptism. Just as the waters of the
Jordan saved the Israelites from the evil army of Pharaoh, so does the baptismal waters save us
from Satan’s forces. Once the Jews had crossed the river, they began a new life and were in
search of a new home. So too do we begin this Christian Journey through baptism, seeking for
eternal rest in Heavenly Jerusalem.
To live this new life in Christ, we cannot seek after the sacramental waters of baptism
without faith. An ancient Jewish legend has it that the parting of the Red Sea did not actually
take place when Moses had spread His arms, but when the first person took the first step on the
water. This legend demonstrates that this miracle was based on the faith that God would fight
and work a miracle for His people. We are no longer slaves to doubt, captives of anxiety; we are
princes of confidence, kings of faith. As Saint Paul so boldly declared, “we walk by faith , not
by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7).
Page 456
L eviticus 2 3 ? 5 -1 §
On the fourteenth day of the first month at tw iligh t is the Lo r d ’s Passover. Ând on the fifteenth day of
the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord ; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. Ôn the
first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no custom ary w ork on it. ^But you shall offer an offering
made by fire to the Lord for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary
work on it.’ “
9And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you
come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your
harvest to the priest. ^ H e shall wave the sheaf before the Lo rd , to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the
Sabbath the priest shall wave it. ^ A n d you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a m ale lam b o f the
first year, w ithou t b lem ish, as a bu rn t offering to the L o r d . ^ I ts grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah
of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the Lord , for a sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be
of wine, one-fourth of a hin. ^ Y o u shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that
you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout you r generations in all your
dw ellings.
15’And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the
sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed.
“The Passover Lamb and the Resurrection o f the Messiah ” by Fn Tadros Malaty
The Passover is considered a turning point in the history of the old people, through which
they crossed from the land of bondage to the wilderness, to set forth toward the land of promise.
The Passover lamb, with all its rites, carried special concepts: “It shall be the first month o f the
year ” (Ex. 12:2); “This day shall be a memorial, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord
throughout your generations” (Ex. 12:14); and it is to be kept by the whole assembly of the
congregation (Ex. 12:6). It also carried a spiritual concept that touches the life of the
congregation of the Church in its relationship with God. The Passover lamb is not merely a
memorial of a historical event that took place in the past, but it represents a present and
continuous work of God in the life of His people. The Passover feast also means a personal
relationship between every member of the congregation and God Himself, concerning the
symbol of the Passover lamb. But as the Lord Christ offered Himself a true “Passover” for the
whole world, His Passion, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection become a continuous and
permanent Passover in the life of the Church that it celebrates, not only once every year, but in
every Divine Liturgy, and experiences its strength throughout everyday. That divine Passover
work became the subject of meditation for every true believer, through which he passes over
from glory to glory, to enter, by the Holy Spirit, into the Father’s bosom.
That made the two chapters: 11 and 12 of the Book of Exodus, the center of the whole
Book, if not, of the whole Old Testament, as the crucifixion and the resurrection of the Lord
Christ are the center of the Bible as a whole. That is why I find it imperative, to present an
accurate, yet concise study, as much as possible, of the Passover lamb, in the light of the old
Jewish traditions known at that time, and the passion, crucifixion, and resurrection, in order to
know its significance in the life of the catholic (universal) or global Church, and in each of its
members.
The Passover and the Old Traditions

In the days of the first Adam, his two sons offered two different offerings to the Lord.
Abel, as a man of hunting, offered a blood sacrifice, as atonement for his sins - which he
obtained after his parents, while Cain, as a worker in the land, brought an offering to the Lord of
Page 457
the fruit of the land. Anyhow, humanity received those two actions, and disfigured them, through
deviation from the divine way. The nomadic Bedouins, used to splash the sign of blood over
their tents, with the assumption that it chases away the evil spirits. Those laboring in agriculture
adopted a different tradition, abstaining from eating leavened bread, for several days, at the
beginning of the new agricultural season, lest the leaven of the old crop would get into the new
one. By that, they start a new year with new food, and a new life.
Let us note that those two rites (splashing of blood and abstaining from leavened bread)
had their origin in pure faith; yet humanity deviated from their way of faith. So, the rite of
Passover came to return them back to another and better way of life.
The Passover carries the ‘sign of blood’, with the concept of reconciliation between God
and man, through the blood of the Redeemer. The believer feels himself like a Bedouin with no
place here to settle down in a permanent Passover, in a continuous movement toward the higher
Jerusalem. He puts blood on the two doorposts and on the lintel, namely on his heart and mind,
not to drive away the evil spirits, but to pass over with all his thoughts and feelings to the
Fatherly bosom, through his union with the Savior, defeating the hosts of evil under his feet.
As to the second rite, concerning eating only unleavened bread, and removing the leaven
from his house, it concerns the life of the believer, who, although, in a permanent movement
toward the heavenly, and in a state of sojourn on the earth, he feels from within that he is leaning
on the bosom of the Lord, working in the vine of the new land. Hence, he eats unleavened bread
for the seven days of the week - keeps on eating, all the days of his life, the new food that will
never get old. He will continuously enjoy the new life, enjoy the food of the angels, and sing the
new praise, saying with the apostle, “Behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
It is amazing how the Church, in her celebration of the feast of Passover (Resurrection),
has practiced since the early days two integrated rites together: the Baptism of the catechumens
(the new converters to Christianity), and the Eucharist. In the eve of the Passover, the Bishop
baptizes the catechumens, to let them bear the sign of blood on their inner foreheads and in their
hearts, to enjoy the reconciliation with God the Father, in His Son Jesus Christ, by His Holy
Spirit, and to enjoy the spirit of sonship, that will help them cross over to the divine glories. Then
they would approach, together with the rest of believers to partake of the other rite - the
Eucharist - in which the Church, striving on earth, appears, as though she, amid her strife, has
settled down around the eternal divine altar, feeding on the forever new unleavened bread, and
enjoying the holy body and blood, that would never get old. This is our new Passover, the
shadow and symbol of which the old Passover bore.
A Personal Passover
God commanded the whole congregation to keep the Passover. It is the Passover of all
the Church, united to her Groom. Later on, He commanded to hold it only in Jerusalem, the city
that carries His name, as it is a Passover of the Lord.
That vivid collective image did not disregard the personal role of every member of the
congregation, but rather it concentrated on it, through the union of every member with the
congregation. Not only did God command that every house should be splashed with blood, but
also committed every man and woman to eat the flesh of the Passover lamb, roasted on fire. The
act of eating here is a sign of a personal relationship, and of personal partaking of that rite.
Indeed, it was not possible for very little children to take part of it, yet they attended the rite and
rejoiced in it, besides getting saved through the faith of their parents, who partake of eating the
flesh of the Passover lamb.
It was not just a matter of the crossing over of the congregation as a whole, but for every
individual person, whether it be a man, woman, or child. But, even after the crossover, while
Page 458
keeping the feast year after year, along the ages, every single partaker of that feast is considered
as though he or she has personally enjoyed the fellowship of faith, together with those who have
been saved, and as though they received a portion of the freedom gained by the early fathers. In
the Book of Exodus it is said, “You shall keep the feast o f unleavened bread... for in it (you)
came out o f Egypt” (Ex. 23: 15), addressing every single member of the congregation, as though
he or she came out of Egypt. And in the Book of Deuteronomy, it is said, “Observe the month of
Abib, and keep the Passover to the Lord your God, for in the month o f Abib the Lord your God
brought you out o f Egypt by night” (Deu. 16:1). That command was addressed to every believer
along the ages, as though he or she has come together with the early fathers by night out of the
landofEgypt.
That is also confirmed by the Jewish tradition, saying in the ‘Didache: “Your forefathers
were not saved alone; but, while saving them, he saved us as well.” Therefore, celebrating the
feast of Passover, even in the sound Jewish thought, carried an inner trend, that touches the
believer’s life and his personal relationship with God, through his union with the congregation. It
is the same thing meant by the Church, as it celebrates the new feast of Passover, in order, for
every believer to enter into the enjoyment of the new resurrected life, through his crossing and
settling in the bosom of God, as a member in the holy congregation.
From the Law to the Messiah

The feast of Passover had its special rites for the Jews, that’s recorded in the twelfth
chapter of the Book of Exodus, that carries certain other traditions that included prayers of
blessing, praises, and psalms, mentioned In the ‘Mishnah’, (which I previously dealt with) as
well. That feast was rich in its memories and promises that carried God’s care for man,
especially through the salvation presented by the Messiah. They used to recognize that night as
an anniversary of the creation of the world, of the circumcision of Abraham, the sacrifice of
Isaac, the release of Joseph from the prison, the anticipated release from captivity, the
appearance of the Messiah, the coming of Moses and Elijah, the resurrection of the fathers, and
the end of the world. That is why the Lord Christ offered Himself a Passover to the world in the
feast of Passover, in order to proclaim that the Truth swallows up the symbol, and brings it on to
the consummation of its goal.
Father Melito, Bishop of Sardis says, “The secret of Passover is realized in the body of
the Lord... He was led like a lamb, and was slain like a she-goat; saving us from the bondage of
the world (Egypt), and setting us free of the servitude of the devil (Pharaoh), putting his seal on
our souls by His Spirit, and on our body members by His blood... He is the One who brought us
from servitude to freedom, from darkness to light, from death to life, and from oppression to
eternal Kingdom... He is our Passover to salvation... He is the silent Lamb that was taken out of
the flock and slain in the evening, and buried by night... for that, that feast was bitter. As said in
the Holy Book, ‘You shall eat unleavened bread with bitter weeds. ’ (Ex. 12: 8). Bitter for you
were the nails that were used... bitter was the tongue that blasphemed... bitter was the false
testimony uttered against Him... Contemplate, O dear brother, how the secret of Passover is new
and old, eternal and mortal, non-corruptible and corruptible... It is old according to the Law, and
is new according to the Logos. It is mortal through the symbol, and eternal in the words of
grace... corruptible through the death of the lambs, and non-corruptible through the life of the
Lord. So are the sacrifice of the lambs, the rite of Passover, and the letter of the Law, all of
which have been realized in Jesus Christ. In place of the Law came the Logos, so that the old
became new, the commandment became grace, and the symbol became fact.”
Page 459
From the Earthly Passover to the Heavenly Passover

The Jews celebrate the earthly Passover, yet deny the heavenly one. But we celebrate the
heavenly Passover crossing over the earthly one. The Passover they celebrate is a symbol of the
salvation of the firstborns of the Jews. The death of the firstborns of the Egyptians, while the
Jewish firstborns were saved, occurred because they were protected by the symbol, by the blood
of the Passover sacrifice. But the Passover we celebrate brings salvation to all people, starting
with the firstborns who are saved...
St. Hippolytus
And now, as you celebrate the ‘Pascha’, the holy Passover, you should know, O brethren,
what the ‘Pascha’ is! Pascha means ‘Passover’. So this feast is so called, as in it, the Son of God
passed over from this world to His Father.
St. Ambrose
What would be your benefit from celebrating this feast, if you do not follow the example
of Him, whom you are worshipping... and pass over from the darkness of wicked deeds to the
light of virtue, and from the love of this world to the love of the heavenly home?! There are
many people who celebrate and observe this holy feast, yet they do that unworthily because of
their evil, and because they do not pass over beyond this world to their Father, and because they
do not pass over from the carnal lusts of this world to the love of heaven. How miserable
Christians they are?! They are still under the authority of the devil, and comfortable with his
evil...
That is why, I am warning you, my brethren, that you should celebrate this feast as you
should by passing over. If any of you is still in sin, let him sanctify this feast, passing over from
the wicked deeds to the life of virtue. As for him, who walks in a holy life, let him pass over
from virtue to virtue, and hence, none of you would not be passing over.
St. Athanasius, in his Passover messages, spoke often of passing over from the worldly
Passover to the heavenly Passover. “Now, my brethren, Satan (Pharaoh) is slain; that tyrant who
antagonizes the whole world. Now, we are not dealing with a worldly feast, but a permanent
heavenly one, proclaiming it, not through shadows (and letters), but in Truth. Those, after getting
fulfilled through eating the flesh of the dumb lamb, and splattering the doorposts of their houses
with its blood, they consummated the feast, and were saved from the destroyer. But now, as we
eat the ‘Word of the Father,’ and splatter our hearts with the blood of the New Testament, we
recognize the grace, granted to us by the Savior, who says, ‘Behold, I give you the authority to
trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power o f the enemy’ (Luke 10:19). As death
has no more authority, but life reigns in place of death; The Lord says: I am the life ’ (John 14:
6). Everything is filled with joy and happiness, as it is written: ‘The Lord reigns, let the earth
rejoice’ (Psalm 97: 1).”
We should come to the feast with zeal and joy; so by starting with joy here, our souls
would yearn to the heavenly feast. If we actively celebrate here, we shall surely receive the
complete joy that is in heaven. And as the Lord says: “ With fervent desire, I have desired to eat
this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat o f it, until it is fulfilled
in the Kingdom o f God” (Luke 22: 15, 16).
For those who keep this feast with purity, the Passover will be their heavenly food. I wish
we do not celebrate the feast in an earthly way, but rather like keeping a feast in heaven with the
angels. Let us glorify God tjirough life of virtue and righteousness! Let us rejoice, not in our
souls, but in the Lord to be with the saints!
Page 460
The Rites of the Passover

St. Melito, Bishop of Sardis, believes that the Law was an introduction to the covenant of
grace, not only through commandments and words, but also through the symbol saying, “The
words and acts of the rite, brethren, are meaningless, if they are severed from what they
symbolize.” This is actually the view of the Church that it received, with an evangelical Spirit,
since its beginning.
And now, let us speak about the rite of the Passover, as it came in the Book of Exodus,
and what it symbolizes, with the help of biblical texts and writings of the fathers.
I - Why did it happen by night?

The Lord says to Moses: “About midnight I will go out into the midst o f Egypt” (Exodus
11: 4). And He confirms in the Book of Deuteronomy: “For in the month o f Abib, the Lord your
God brought you out o f Egypt by night” (Deuteronomy 16: 1). St. Hippolytus interprets this by
saying, “The strike took place by night in the darkness as in the veil of darkness, away from the
bright light of the day, justice is realized in the devil and his dark crimes. “And I will show
wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood and fire and pillars o f smoke. The sun shall be
turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and terrible day o f
the Lord, ” (Joel 2: 30, 31) and “Woe to you who desire the day o f the Lord! For what good is the
day o f the Lord to you? It will be darkness, and not light. It will be as though a man fled from a
lion, and a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, leaned his hand on the wall, and
a serpent bit him! Is not the day o f the Lord darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no
brightness in it? (Amos 5: 18 - 20).”
It is as though, while the devil dwells in darkness, the Lord is destroying him in his den.
While he is sure that there is no one to oppose him, he will be destroyed together with all his
works. The Lord (our new Passover) delivered his Spirit by the end of the day, and entered by
night into Hades, to set those captivated in the darkness free, and to bring them forth to the light
of paradise, without darkness!
In the month of Abib, the beginning of months

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron saying, “This month shall be your beginning of
months; it shall be the first month o f the year to you ” (Ex. 12: 1). It is as though, with every
Passover, they enter a new year, to live in a continuous state of renewal within the heart, through
the slain Jesus Christ.
As the Lord Christ (our Passover) is the head of creation, and is its Firstborn, this month
became the “firstborn” of ages, and the beginning of the new life. According to the words of the
apostle, “Or do you not know that as many o f us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that
just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory o f the Father, even so we also should walk
in newness o f life” (Rom. 6:3, 4).
St. Hippolytus says, “That means that the true sacrifice of Passover to us, is the beginning
of eternal life.” The symbolic Passover came at the beginning of the months; but the Lord (the
true Passover) came at the end of ages (Heb. 9:26), to proclaim that He is the end and goal of the
Law (Rom. 10:4). It is noteworthy that the word “Abib” means a head of grains, as though,
through Passover, the soul becomes the “head of grain” of the Lord, namely, His harvest.
J - Taking the lamb on the tenth day of the month (Ex* 12: 3)
That was a reference to the entrance of the Lord Christ into Jerusalem, to be kept there,
until He offers Himself a Passover for our sake. Choosing the tenth day refers to His coming
Page 461
after the Law (the Ten Commandments) to consummate the commandment that was broken by
man, granting us the possibility of its fulfillment.
4- Keeping it until the fourteenth day (Ex., 12: 6)

In the fourteenth day, the moon becomes full; for the sun is a symbol of the Lord Christ,
and the moon of the Church. It is as though, through Christ (our Passover) (1 Cor. 5:7), the
enlightenment of the Church is consummated, and its splendor is proclaimed.
The days of keeping are five (10-15 of Abib), representing the five beginnings of the
world, in the history of salvation. With it, Adam began the human race; Noah, began the new
world after the great flood; Abraham began as a father to believers, (from whose seed came the
people of God); Moses began the world in the written Law; and finally Christ came on the fifth
day to begin the age of grace, in which He offered Himself a Passover, having its activity in all
the five eras.
The five days also refers to the activity of the true Passover, for all those who work in
any of the five hours of the day; those who began their work in the first hour, the third, the sixth,
the ninth, or the eleventh hour.
5- InvMng the neighbor next to his house (Ex. 12:4)

This refers to the invitation of the Gentiles, being the (next neighbor), to share in the
enjoyment of the true Passover.
6- The hm b should be without blemish (Ex. 12:5)
It should be either a lamb, a symbol of meekness, according to the words of the prophet
Isaiah, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; he was led as a
lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its sheerer is silent ” (Isaiah 53: 7), or “a kid o f the
goats as a sin offering” (Numbers 7: 16).
The Savior Lord Jesus Christ was called a Lamb, as in the Book of Jeremiah said, “I was
like a docile lamb brought to the slaughter, and I did not know that they had devised schemes
against Me, saying, ‘Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut Him off from the land o f
the living, that His name may be remembered no more’” (Jeremiah 11: 9). And as seen by St.
John the Baptist, who said, “Behold’ the Lamb o f God who takes away the sin o f the world”
(John 1: 29). In heaven, St. John the evangelist saw Him, “In the midst o f the elders, stood a
lamb as though it had been slain ” (Revelations 5: 6).
Being perfect and without blemish, is because the Lord Christ, holy and without sin, is
capable of atoning our sins by His own blood (Heb. 9:14). And according to the apostle, we have
been redeemed by a perfect blood, as though of a lamb without spot, the blood of Christ.
Being a male, that refers to His status, as a Groom to all believers (2 Corinthians 11: 2);
and “Who has the bride is the Bridegroom ” (John 3: 29).
Being “Of the first year”, means that it should be young and strong; to stay new in our
lives forever, though He is the Old of age, the Eternal.
Because the Lord Christ alone, without blemish or spot in every virtue, presents all
righteousness, from the beginning to the end. Having said of Himself: “It is fitting for us to fulfill
all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15)
St. Hippolytus
Page 462
7- The whole assembly o f the congregation o f Israel shall kill it (Ex. 12: 6)
On one side, this had been realized in the Person of the Lord Christ, of Whom it is said,
“For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate,
with the Gentiles, and the people o f Israel, were gathered together ” (Acts 4: 27). On another
side, the Lord Himself was the One who came forward to offer Himself as a sacrifice of love for
our sake. St. John Chrysostom says, “The Lord Christ was not commanded to do that, but came
forward to offer Himself as a sacrifice to God.”
Despite the great number of families that offer lambs, yet all of them share in one
sacrifice. The Lord Christ had offered Himself as One Passover, for the atonement of all nations
and peoples gathering all around Him, as though in one house. Concerning this, St. Hippolytus
says, “As it was the case with the houses of the Hebrews, although numerous, yet counted as one
house. Churches, though numerous in a city, they represent one Church. Christ, who is whole, is
undivided in various houses, as is said by the apostle Paul, that we are one in Christ.”
It should be kept inside the house. St. Hippolytus says, “It is one assembly and one house.
It is one Church where the Holy Body of Christ is eaten. It is not to be moved out of that one
house, or Church. Whoever eats it in any other place, will be condemned as a wicked thief.”
8- To he killed at twilight (Ex. 12: 6)

Is a reference to the fact that the Lord Christ has offered Himself for the world at the
fulfillment of ages.
% The Mood to be put on the two doorposts and on the lintel o f the houses (Ex. 12: 7)
Speaking of the activity of the blood, He says, “ When I see the blood, I will pass over
you” (Ex. 12: 13). “Without shedding o f blood, there is no remission ” (Hebrew 9: 22).
The Egyptians, no doubt have seen the slaying of the lambs and the sprinkling of the
blood, and mocked the Israelites for it, but they perished. If any Hebrew had tied the lamb to the
door, instead of slaying it, he would also perish, as there is no salvation for us, except through
the death of the Lord Christ, and the shedding of His blood. That is why He says: “Most
assuredly I say to you. Unless a grain o f wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone;
but if it dies, it produces much grain ” (John 12: 24).
The blood of the lamb was a symbol of the blood of the Lord Christ, without it, there is
no salvation. And as St. Lactantius says, “The Hebrews were alone saved by the sign of blood.
Not because the blood of the lamb had in itself the activity to save mankind, but because it was a
symbol of the coming things.”
St. Hippolytus says concerning the power of the sign of blood that “It is put on the houses
as well as in the souls, where the Spirit of God finds its holy dwelling.” And he also says, “The
blood on the upper lintel, namely on the Church; and on the two doorposts, namely, on the two
peoples (the Jews and the Gentiles).”
St. Gregory of Nyssa believes that putting the blood on the upper lintel and on the two
doorposts, refers to the sanctification of the three sides of the soul: the mental, the emotional, and
the spiritual. Man is sanctified with all his mental energies, desires, emotions, and inner feelings.
So, it was the belief of the fathers, as far as the sign of blood is concerned, that it implies
the sanctification of the catholic, or global Church, as well as the human soul, as a member in
that Church.
It is noteworthy that the blood is not to be put on the doorstep, lest it would be trampled
over with the feet. The apostle says, "O f how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he
be thought worthy, who has trampled the Son o f God underfoot, counted the blood o f the
covenant, by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit o f grace? ”
Page 463
(Hebrew 10: 29). As to our strife to enjoy the fruit of that blood, St. Athanasius says, “It is fitting
for us to prolong our prayers, fasts, and watching, so that we can anoint the doors of our houses
with the precious blood, to let the destroyer pass over them.”
God does not allow the paschal lamb to be sacrificed in any other place than where His
Name is invoked (that is in the Temple at Jerusalem; Deu. 16:5-6), for Hq knew that there would
come a time, after Christ’s Passion, when the place in Jerusalem (where you sacrificed the
paschal lamb) would be taken from you by your enemies, and then all sacrifices would be
stopped.
St. Justin957
Although, as a sheep he was led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7; Acts 8:32), yet He was not
a sheep; although as a lamb, speechless, yet neither was He a lamb for the model indeed existed,
but then the reality appeared. For instead of the lamb there was a Son; and instead of the sheep,
a Man; and in the Man, Christ, who has comprised all things (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3).
Melito of Sardis958
I#- Use o f mbunch o f hyssop (Ex, 12:22)

“And you shall take a bunch o f hyssop, dip it in the blood that is the basin, and strike the
lintel and the two doorposts with the blood... “ (Ex. 12: 22) The scholars could not reach a
definite view about that hyssop; however the traditional one is that it is the ‘Zaatar’ plant. This
plant was used, according to the holy Book, to purify from leprosy (Leviticus 14: 4, 6) and from
sin (Ps. 51:7), for ritual purification (Numbers 19: 6, 18), and was also used to lift up a sponge
filled with sour wine, and presented to the Lord Christ on the cross (John 19: 29). It is said that
hyssop is an aromatic plant that grows on walls and rocks.
St. Augustine believes “that hyssop, although a weak and lowly weed, yet has deep and
strong roots. It is as though it penetrates with its roots deep into love, “to comprehend with all
the saints what is the width, length, depth, and height (of love) ” (Eph. 3:17,18), and to recognize
the cross of our Lord.” Through the blood, springing from the limitless love, we are sanctified,
we destroy the leprosy of sin, receive healing from all of our sicknesses, our souls are purified,
and we share with Christ His Passion on the cross.
I I - To m i it “masted in five** (Ex. 12: 9)

a- The rite does not stop at the splattering of blood, but the believers should eat the flesh
of the lamb, roasted in fire to unite with the Lord Christ, who went through the divine justice, as
through fire.
b- We should not stop at believing in the suffering Lord Christ, who passed through fire
for our sake, but we should also partake of the communion of His body and blood shed for us, so
as to have the fellowship of His Passion, to recognize the power of His resurrection, and to abide
in Him and He in us.
c- St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, believes that the food of Passover is “the hot and flaring
faith.” The scholar Origen also says about it, “Let us have the hot Spirit, and get hold of the fiery
words presented to us by God, as He did with the prophet Jeremiah, saying to him: ‘Behold, I
will make My words in your mouth fire ’ (Jer. 5:14). Let us make sure that the flesh of the lamb is
well cooked, so that those who partake of it, would say with the two disciples of Emmaus, ‘Did
957 St. Justin, Dialogue with Trypho, 40:1-3; reprinted in Easter in the Early Church, Cantalamessa, p. 40.
958 St. Melito of Sardis, On Pascha, pp. 1-10, Introduction.
Page 464
not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road' and while He opened the
Scriptures to us?' (Luke 24: 32)”
d- It was the custom to roast the lamb on two crossing iron bars that symbolizes the cross.
Thus, St. Justin Martyr says that the roasting was a symbol of the Cross by its shape.959
1J- uBo not eat it rm%nor boiled mt mil with wmtern (Ex* 12:9)
He wants us to enjoy the divine Word, flaming with fire, and not to eat it raw nor boiled
with water - not to receive it with a lukewarm attitude (like water), but with a hot spirit, serious
in enjoying it. He wants us to receive faith through the cross and Passion, and not by a loosely
spirit.
13- “Its head with its legs, and its entrails** (Ex* 12:9)
As we eat our new Passover, we enter into the head, the feet, and the entrails. We
recognize the love of Christ, with the hope of comprehending its height (head), its depths (feet),
and its width (entrails), and we shall find it surrounding us from all sides.
St. Hippolytus, the Roman, believes that the head is the Law that revealed the “secret of
the Passover”, the feet are the disciples, who preached peace on the mountains of Zion, while the
entrails are the Passover itself that we came to know through the Law and the Bible.
14- mWith unleavened breadm (Ex* 12:8)

The leaven refers to “malice and wickedness” (1 Corinthians 5: 7, 8), and to hypocrisy.
That is why St. Ambrose advices us, saying, “If people (the Jews) celebrated the feast of
Passover by eating unleavened bread for seven days, every Christian is committed to eat of the
body of the true lamb, Christ, and to lead a simple holy life all along the seven days, all the days
of his life. Be careful to keep away of the old leaven, and do not remain in it, O brethren.
According to the warning of the apostle, ‘Purge out the old leaven ’ (1 Corinthian 5:7), that is to
say, purify yourself of it. If you kept yourself away from all the evil, so called the old leaven, and
fulfilled by faith all your resolutions when you were baptized, then you will be true Christians.”
St. Athanasius, the apostolic, comments on the words of the apostle, “Let us keep the
feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven o f malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened
bread o f sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5: 8)... “that you put off, concerning your former
conduct... that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness
and holiness” (Ephesians 4: 22, 24), with meditations from God’s law day and night, with a
humble mind and a pure conscience. Let us then, cast away from us every hypocrisy and deceit,
get away from every pride and malice. Let us promise to love God and our neighbor to become a
new creation... we would then be celebrating the feast as we should.”
Some fathers like Origen believe that the old Passover was connected to the unleavened
bread, so as to keep the believers from getting leavened by the leaven of the world anticipating
the new leaven of the Kingdom of God (Mt. 13: 33).
It is noteworthy that the Lord Christ, in the sacrament of the Eucharist, used leavened
bread, as He carried our sins in His body.
15- mWith bitter herb, they shall eat it* (Ex* 12:8)
a- St. Jerome believes that God forbid the use of honey in the offerings; yet, at the same
time, commanded eating the lamb of Passover on bitter herb, as though He does not want us to
lead a spoiled life, but bear the affliction in this world.
959 St. Justin, Dialogue with Trypho, 40:1-3; reprinted in Easter in the Early Church, Cantalamessa, p. 40.
Page 465
b- The bitter herb reminds the people of the bitterness of servitude, from which they are
set free through the lamb of Passover.
c- The bitter herb refers to our commitment to approach the sacrament of the new
Passover, with bitterness of heart and spirit because of our sins. When our mouth is embittered,
because of sin, our heart would get filled with the sweetness of God’s body and blood. In other
words, we do not enjoy the sacrament of the Eucharist without repentance and confession.
16- “You shall lei none o f it remain until morning* (Ex. 12: 9)
A reference to the sacrament of Passover was the secret of “the new life”. Our Church is
keen to let no divine sacrament remain to the next day.
17- mNor shall you break one o f its bonesn (Ex. 12:46)
This refers to the Lord Christ, who, “when they came to Him, and saw that He was
already dead, they did not break His legs ” (John 19: 33. St. Hippolytus believes that, by this, we
can recognize His resurrection (John 20: 27). He carried the marks of several wounds, but it was
not fitting for Him to rise with broken legs.
As the bones of the Lord were not broken, it is fitting for us to receive the “Word of
God”, that we eat, enflamed with fire, yet without breaking its bones - to understand it, not in a
killing human literal way, but through the constructive Spirit.
And as the bones of the Passover are not broken, so also, the righteous, united with the
Lord Christ, their Passover, will have their bones unbroken, as King David the Psalmist said,
“He guards all their bones; not one o f them is broken” (Psalm 34: 20). And as St. Augustine
says, “The Psalmist does not mean the bones in the literal sense, but the unbreakable living faith,
as we see from the incident of the right-hand robber, who although his feet bones were broken,
yet the bones of his soul were kept by the Lord. In the moments of bitter affliction he abided in
the faith, to be worthy to enter paradise, to be kept in the hands of God.”
IB- They will eat> ready to depart (Ex. 1 2 : 11)

“You shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your
hand. So you shall eat it in haste; It is the Lord’s Passover” (Ex. 12: 11).
St. John Chrysostom says that this phrase has two interpretations:
(1) A historical interpretation: to let the Jews take into consideration that they are
going to depart; as though by so doing, they say, ‘We are ready to depart; we are going out of
Egypt to the land of promise; we are departing’. As those people were known for their
forgetfulness, He gave them that commandment to remind them of the goal of the Passover.
(2) A symbolic interpretation: saying, “We also, as we eat the Passover, the Lord
Christ (1 Corinthians 5: 7)... we should eat it “with a belt on our waist, and sandals on our
feet. ”
Why? So we also may be ready to depart and rest. I wish everyone eats this Passover
without looking down to Egypt (the world), but up to heaven, to the higher Jerusalem. Bracing
with a belt is an indication of the departure of the soul. Listen to what God says to a righteous
man: “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer M e” (Job 38: 3). That
is what He also said to all prophets, and to Moses. The Lord Himself appeared in a similar way
to Ezekiel, and the angels, being soldiers, appear likewise (Revelation 15: 6). Let us then brace
ourselves and courageously stand. We should have no fear, because the Leader of our exodus is
Jesus, and not Moses!
They were therefore, eating it, ready to depart and to pass over from the land of bondage,
heading to the land of promise; ready by their bodies (the belt), their hands (the staff), and their
Page 466
feet (the sandals). That is the same concept of getting ready to partake of the sacrament of the
Eucharist; in having it, we yearn to pass over to where the Lord Christ is sitting.
The belted waist refers to controlling the body lusts, so man could walk, not according to
the desires of his body, but to those of the heavenly Spirit. That is why St. John Cassian,
speaking of, why a monk braces his waist with a belt, he says, [So that the soldier of Christ, will
have his mind ready to cany out any work in the monastery; to have his movement unhindered
by his clothes, and to comprehend that, using a belt made out of dead animal skin, implies his
putting to death all his members, that contains the seeds of fornication and uncleanness, and in
order to abide all the time in the commandments of the Bible, saying, “Therefore put to death
your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and
covetousness, which is idolatry ” (Col. 3:5)].
The sandals on the feet refer to what happened with the prophet Moses, when he took off
his sandals, made out of dead animal skin, in order to be able to enjoy the burning bush. But
here, we put on sandals of a different kind, that of the Lord, of which St. John, the Baptist said
that he is not worthy to bow and loosen its straps. Therefore, let us have the sandals of the Lord,
so that, as he walked, we do likewise, not fearing the thorns of this life, nor the violence and
authority of Pharaoh, but to trample over all the forces of evil under our feet. And as St.
Ambrose says, “Whoever celebrates the Passover of the Lord, and the Lamb, should have his feet
protected against the fierce spiritual beasts, and the stings of the serpent.”
The staff in our hands is the rod of God, also called the rod of Moses, and the rod of
Aaron. We lean on the power of God for salvation (the cross), hold the rod of commandment
(Moses), and practice the spiritual worship (Aaron). Some fathers see in the staff, the hope on
which the soul leans, on her way to heaven, to cast away the destructive threats of the devil, as a
traveler does to chase away dogs with his staff.
Finally, St. Athanasius, the apostolic, speaks of the readiness to that trip, saying, “Our
Lord Jesus Christ is the true light, who is our royal staff, and in place of the unleavened bread, is
the bread descending from heaven. And in short, the Lord leads us, by all that, to His Father.”
As to eating it in haste (Ex. 12: 11), St. Hippolytus says, “Whoever approaches that great
and exalted body, should be watching and fasting;” he should be ready to set forth.
19- aYou shall keep it as a feast to the L o ri throughout your generations" (Ex. 12:14)
As a confirmation of the eternal Passover and also, so that the old people would remain
anticipating for the coming of the true Passover, whose blood will be forever sanctified.
20- “No outsider shall eat it" (Ex. 12:43,48)

No uncircumcised should partake of it, only the circumcised. Therefore, nobody can
enjoy communion of the holy sacraments, except he who gained the spiritual circumcision, the
Baptism by which he became a son to God, having the right to unite with Him in Christ Jesus.
In his fourth homily on the Resurrection, St. Athanasius, the apostolic, says, “The
deceitful person, with impure heart, and defiled soul... is surely a foreigner to the saints, and
counted unworthy of eating the Passover. For this reason, when Judas assumed that he could
keep the Passover while plotting a deceit against the Savior, he turned as a foreigner to the city
up high and a stranger to the apostolic company. The Law commanded that the Passover should
be eaten with fitting caution, yet Judas, while eating it, the devil entered his soul (John 13: 27).”
21 - “It is the L o ri’s Passover* (Ex* 1 2 : 11)

The Holy Book differentiates between the “Lord’s Passover”, and the “Jews’ Passover.”
In the Law, He does not say “Your Passover” or The Jews’ Passover”, but He says “The Lord’s
Page 467
f The Holy Pascha
Passover” in reference to Himself But when the people fell to evil, and lived without repentance,
He refers it to them, saying: “The new moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling o f assemblies - 1
cannot endure... Your new moons and your appointedfeasts My soul hates ” (Isaiah 1: 13, 14)
The scholar Origen noticed that this thing happens with all sorts of worship, calling the
Sabbath, “the Lord’s Sabbath”; and in the Book of Numbers, He says: “My offering, My food for
My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their
appointed time ” (Numbers 28: 1). He also calls the people “My people”; yet when they deviated
from worshipping Him, He said to Moses: “Go, get down, for your people whom you brought out
o f the land o f Egypt have corrupted themselves ” (Ex. 32: 7).
It is no longer the people of God, but that of Moses.
22-Killing thefirstborns
a- The scholar Tertullian believes that the Egyptians have paid the price of what they
have done to the Hebrew children by throwing them in the river The Lord punished them by their
own deeds.
b- God allowed all the firstborns to be killed, even those of the beasts with no exception.
That is a symbol of God’s work in devastating evil. Yet His children, even the hairs of their
heads are counted and under His care.
c- St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, sees in killing of the firstborns as a reference to the
destruction of every cause of sin, saying, “It is fitting for whoever seizes evil through virtue, to
destroy it since its onset. By this he destroys every thing that would follow. That is what the Lord
teaches us in the Bible, inviting us, very clearly, to kill the firstborns of evil... instructing us to
destroy lust and anger, and not to be afraid before the sins of adultery and murder. Those two do
not come all of a sudden, but the anger produces murder, and the lust gives birth to adultery...
thus by destroying the firstborns (lust and anger), we kill all that would follow. If we take the
serpent as an example, by crushing its head, all of its body would be killed at the same time.”
Second Oration on Passover by St. Gregory Nazianzen 960
Now we will partake of a Passover which is still typical; though it is plainer than the old
one. For that is ever new which is now becoming known. It is ours to learn what is that drinking
and that enjoyment, and His to teach and communicate the Word to His disciples. For teaching is
food, even to the Giver of food. Come hither then, and let us partake of the Law, but in a Gospel
manner, not a literal one; perfectly, not imperfectly; eternally, not temporarily. Let us make our
Head, not the earthly Jerusalem, but the heavenly City; not that which is now trodden under foot
by armies, but that which is glorified by Angels. Let us sacrifice not young calves, nor lambs that
put forth horns and hoofs, in which many parts are destitute of life and feeling; but let us
sacrifice to God the sacrifice of praise upon the heavenly Altar, with the heavenly dances; let us
hold aside the first veil; let us approach the second, and look into the Holy of Holies. Shall I say
that which is a greater thing yet? Let us sacrifice ourselves to God; or rather let us go on
sacrificing throughout every day and at every moment. Let us accept anything for the Word’s
sake. By sufferings let us imitate His Passion: by our blood let us reverence His Blood: let us
gladly mount upon the Cross. Sweet are the nails, though they be very painful. For to suffer with
Christ and for Christ is better than a life of ease with others...
960 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Second Oration NPNF, s. 2, v. 8.
Page 468
Thus then and for this cause the written Law came in, gathering us into Christ; and this is
the account of the Sacrifices as I account for them. And that you may not be ignorant of the
depth of His Wisdom and the riches of His unsearchable judgments, He did not leave even these
unhallowed altogether, or useless, or with nothing in them but mere blood. But that great, and if I
may say so, in its first nature unsacriflceable Victim, was intermingled with the Sacrifices of
the Law, and was a purification, not for a part of the world, nor for a short time, but for the
whole world and for all time. For this reason a Lamb was chosen for its innocence, and its
clothing of the original nakedness. For such is the Victim, That was offered for us, Who is both
in Name and fact the Garment of incorruption. And He was a perfect Victim not only on account
of His Godhead, than which nothing is more perfect; but also on account of that which He
assumed having been anointed with Deity, and having become one with That which anointed It,
and I am bold to say, made equal with God. A Male, because offered for Adam; or rather the
Stronger for the strong, when the first Man had fallen under sin; and chiefly because there is in
Him nothing feminine, nothing unmanly; but He burst from the bonds of you Virgin-Mother’s
womb with much power, and a Male was brought forth by the Prophetess, as Isaiah declares the
good tidings. And of a year old, because He is the Sun of Righteousness setting out from heaven,
and circumscribed by His visible Nature, and returning unto Himself. And “The blessed crown of
Goodness,”—being on every side equal to Himself and alike; and not only this, but also as giving
life to all the circle of the virtues, gently commingled and intermixed with each other, according
to the Law of Love and Order. And Immaculate and guileless, as being the Healer of faults, and
of the defects and taints that come from sin. For though He both took on Him our sins and bare
our diseases, yet He did not Himself suffer aught that needed healing. For He was tempted in all
points like as we are yet without sin For he that persecuted the Light that shines in darkness
could not overtake Him.
What more? The First Month is introduced, or rather the beginning of months, whether
it was so among the Hebrews from the beginning, or was made so later on this account, and
became the first in consequence of the Mystery; and the tenth of the Month, for this is the most
complete number, of units the first perfect unit, and the parent of perfection. And it is kept until
the fifth day, perhaps because the Victim, of Whom I am speaking, purifies the five senses, from
which comes falling into sin, and around which the war rages, inasmuch as they are open to the
incitements to sin. And it was chosen, not only out of the lambs, but also out of the inferior
species, which are placed on the left hand —the kids; because He is sacrificed not only for the
righteous, but also for sinners; and perhaps even more for these, inasmuch as we have greater
need of His mercy. And we need not be surprised that a lamb for a house should be required as
the best course, but if that could not be, then one might be obtained by contributions (owing to
poverty) for the houses of a family; because it is clearly best that each individual should suffice
for His own perfecting, and should offer His own living sacrifice holy unto God Who called him,
being consecrated at all times and in every respect. But if that cannot be, then that those who are
akin in virtue and of like disposition should be made use of as helpers. For I think this provision
means that we should communicate of the Sacrifice to those who are nearest, if there be need.
Then comes the Sacred Night, the Anniversary of the confused darkness of the present
life, into which the primeval darkness is dissolved, and all things come into life and rank and
form, and that which was chaos is reduced to order. Then we flee from Egypt, that is from sullen
persecuting sin; and from Pharaoh the unseen tyrant, and the bitter taskmasters, changing our
quarters to the world above; and are delivered from the clay and the brickmaking, and from the
husks and dangers of this fleshly condition, which for most men is only not overpowered by
mere husklike calculations. Then the Lamb is slain, and act and word are sealed with the
Precious Blood; that is, habit and action, the sideposts of our doors; I mean, of course, of the
Page 469
movements of mind and opinion, which are rightly opened and closed by contemplation, since
there is a limit even to thoughts. Then the last and gravest plague upon the persecutors, truly
worthy of the night; and Egypt mourns the first-born of her own reasonings and actions which
are also called in the Scripture the Seed of the Chaldeans removed, and the children of Babylon
dashed against the rocks and destroyed; and the whole air is full of the cry and clamor of the
Egyptians; and then the Destroyer of them shall withdraw from us in reverence of the Unction.
Then the removal of leaven; that is, of the old and sour wickedness, not of that which is
quickening and makes bread; for seven days, a number which is of all the most mystical, and is
coordinate with this present world, that we may not lay in provision of any Egyptian dough, or
relic of Pharisaic or ungodly teaching.
Well, let them lament; we will feed on the L/amb toward evening—for Christ’s Passion
was in the completion of the ages; because too He communicated His Disciples in the evening
with His Sacrament, destroying the darkness of sin; and not soaked, but roast—that our word
may have in it nothing that is unconsidered or Watery, or easily made away with; but may be
entirely consistent and solid, and free from all that is impure and from all vanity.
And let us be aided by the good coals? kindling and purifying our minds from Him That
cometh to send fire on the earth, that shall destroy all evil habits, and to hasten its kindling.
Whatsoever then there be, of solid and nourishing in the Word, shall be eaten with the inward
parts and hidden things of the mind, and shall be consumed and given up to spiritual digestion;
aye, from head to foot, that is, from the first contemplations of Godhead to the very last thoughts
about the Incarnation. Neither let us carry none of it abroad, nor leave it till the morning;
because most of our Mysteries may not be carried out to them that are outside, nor is there
beyond this night any further purification; and procrastination is not creditable to those who have
a share in the Word. For just as it is good and well-pleasing to God not to let anger last through
the day, but to get rid of it before sunset, whether you take this of time or in a mystical sense, for
it is not safe for us that the Sun of Righteousness should go down upon our wrath; so too we
should not to let such Food remain all night, nor to put it off till to-morrow.
But whatever is of bony nature and not fit for food and hard for us even to understand,
this must not be broken; that is, badly divined and misconceived (I need not say that in the
History not a bone of Jesus was broken, even though His death was hastened by His crucifiers
on account of the Sabbath); nor must it be stripped off and thrown away, lest that which is holy
should be given to the dogs, that is, to the evil hearers of the Word; just as the glorious pearl of
the Word is not to be cast before swine; but it shall be consumed with the fire with which the
burnt offerings also are consumed, being refined and preserved by the Spirit That searches and
knows all things, not destroyed in the waters, nor scattered abroad as the calf s head which was
hastily made by Israel was by Moses, for a reproach for their hardness of heart.
Nor would it be right for us to pass over the manner of this eating either, for the Law does
not do so, but carries its mystical labor even to this point in the literal enactment. Let us consume
the Victim in haste, eating It with unleavened bread, with bitter herbs, and with our loins girded,
and our shoes on our feet, and leaning on staves like old men; with haste, that we fall not into
that fault which was forbidden to Lot by the commandment, that we look not around, nor stay in
all that neighborhood, but that we escape to the mountain, that we be not overtaken by the
strange fire of Sodom, nor be congealed into a pillar of salt in consequence of our turning back to
wickedness; for this is the result of delay. With bitter herbs, for a life according to the Will of
God is bitter and arduous, especially to beginners, and higher than pleasures. For although the
new yoke is easy and the burden light, as you are told, yet this is on account of the hope and the
reward, which is far more abundant than the hardships of this life. If it were not so, who would
not say that the Gospel is more full of toil and trouble than the enactments of the Law? For,
Page 470
while the Law prohibits only the completed acts of sin, we are condemned for the causes also,
almost as if they were acts. The Law says, You will not commit adultery; but you may not even
desire, kindling passion by curious and earnest looks. You shalt not kill, says the Law; but you
are not even to return a blow, but on the contrary are to offer yourself to the smiter. How much
more ascetic is the Gospel than the Law! You shalt not forswear yourself is the Law; but you are
not to swear at all, either a greater or a lesser oath, for an oath is the parent of perjury. You will
not join house to house, nor field to field, oppressing the poor,; but you are to set aside willingly
even your just possessions, and to be stripped for the poor, that without encumbrance you may
take up the Cross and be enriched with the unseen riches.
And let the loins of the unreasoning animals be unbound and loose, for they have not the
gift of reason which can overcome pleasure (it is not needful to say that even they know the limit
of natural movement). But let that part of your being which is the seat of passion, and which
cries, as Holy Scripture calls it, when sweeping away this shameful passion, be restrained by a
girdle of continence, so that you may eat the Passover purely, having mortified your members
which are upon the earth, and copying the girdle of John, the Hermit and Forerunner and great
Herald of the Truth.. .And it is in respect of this too that God says in an oracle to Job, “Nay, but
gird up your loins like a man, and give a manly answer. ” With this also holy David boasts that
he is girded with strength from God, and speaks of God Himself as clothed with strength and
girded about with power—against the ungodly of course—though perhaps some may prefer to
see in this a declaration of the abundance of His power, and, as it were, its restraint, just as also
He clothes Himself with Light as with a garment. For who shall endure His unrestrained power
and light? Do I enquire what there is common to the loins and to truth? What then is the meaning
to St. Paul of the expression, “Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth?” Is it
perhaps that contemplation is to restrain evil desire, and not to allow it to be carried in another
direction? For that which is disposed to love in a particular direction will not have the same
power towards other pleasures.
And as to shoes, let him who is about to touch the Holy Land which the feet of God have
trodden, put them off, as Moses did upon the Mount, that he may bring there nothing dead;
nothing to come between Man and God. So too if any disciple is sent to preach the Gospel, let
him go in a spirit of philosophy and without excess, inasmuch as he must, besides being without
money and without staff and with but one coat, also be barefooted, that the feet of those who
preach the Gospel of Peace and every other good may appear beautiful. But he who would flee
from Egypt and the things of Egypt must put on shoes for safety’s sake, especially in regard to
the scorpions and snakes in which Egypt so abounds, so as not to be injured by those which
watch the heel which also we are bidden to tread under foot....
And concerning the staff and the signification of it, my belief is as follows. There is one I
know to lean upon, and another which belongs to Pastors and Teachers, and which corrects
human sheep. Now the Law prescribes to you the staff to lean upon, that you may not break
down in your mind when you hear of God’s Blood, and His Passion, and His death; and that you
may not be carried away to heresy in your defense of God; but without shame and without doubt
may eat the Flesh and drink the Blood, if you are desirous of true life, neither disbelieving His
words about His Flesh, nor offended at those about His Passion. Lean upon this, and stand firm
and strong, in nothing shaken by the adversaries nor carried away by the plausibility of their
arguments. Stand upon your High Place; in the Courts of Jerusalem place your feet; lean upon
the Rock, that your steps in God be not shaken.
Page 471
P s a l m 142:6,7; 3 0:5
I spread forth m y hands to Y ou; m y sou l thirsts for Y ou, as a dry land. Hear me speedily, O Lord; my
spirit has failed; do not turn away Your face from me, lest I shall be like them that go down to the pit.
Into Y ou r hands, w ill I com m it m y spirit. You have redeemed me, O Lord, God o f Truth.
Again here we see the cry of the thirsty for water. St. Augustine says that the Lord
stretching out His hands to us is like the rain from heaven to plant fruit. “For the Lord shall give
sweetness, that our land may give her fruit.” “I have stretched forth my hands to You; my soul is
as a land without water,” not to me, but “to You.” I can thirst for You, I cannot water myself.”
St. John Chrysostom also likens this psalm to the eclipse of the sun which we also read in this
hour.961
“Hear me Speedily, O Lord. ” For what need of delay to inflame my thirst, when
already I thirst so eagerly? You did delay the rain, that I might drink and swallow, [and]
not to reject Your entrance. If then You did for this cause delay, now give; for “my spirit has
failed. ” Let Your Spirit fill me. This is the reason why You should speedily hear me. I am now
become “poor in spirit,” make me “blessed in the kingdom of heaven. ..
St. Augustine962
Psalm 30:5 is the last utterance of our dying Savior (Luke 23:46) and is sacred to every
believer. It is a great help and support for him in the hour of his death. This simple and proof of
his trust, by virtue of which he entrusts his whole life into the hands of his God, sounds like the
utterance of a man who breathes a sigh of relief as he reaches the protection of the walls of the
fortress after a hard battle and is conscious of being now out of danger.
A H omily of our Fa t h e r , S aint A t h a n a s iu s

It is so written in the scriptures; if our souls are following the law o f God, the powers o f darkness will not
overpower us, but if we drift away from God they will prevail on us.
Y ou m an, w ho w an t to be saved, teach you rself to float in the depth o f G o d ’s richness and w isdom .
Spread your arm s in the likeness o f the C ross to cross the great sea, w hich is this life and reach to G od.
The hindering doubts are for those who live away from the commands o f the Catholic Church. I mean
disbelief, adultery, evil report and love o f money that is the root o f all evils. B u t the sign o f the C ross is spread
over all creation.
I f the sun does not emit its rays it cannot glow neither the moon would light too. The birds in the sky, if
they do not spread their wings they cannot fly, neither the ships can leave part if they do not spread their sails.
Behold, Moses the Archprophet spread his arms and defeated Amalek. Daniel was saved form the lion’s
den, Jonah from the fish’s belly and Takla when they threw her to the lions she was saved by the likeness o f the
Cross. Also Susanna from the hands o f those two old men, Judith from Holofemes and the three holy youth from the
burning fiery furnace. All those were saved by the likeness o f the Cross.
They mystery of the lamb which God ordered you to sacrifice as the Passover was truly a
type of Christ, with whose Blood the believers, in proportion to the strength of their faith, anoint
their homes (Ex. 12:7), that is, themselves. You are all aware that Adam, the result of God’s
creative act, was the abode of His inspiration (1 Cor. 3:16). Similarly, God’s precept concerning
the paschal lamb was only temporary.
961 St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on the Psalms, Robert Charles Hill, ed. Vol. 2, p. 315.
962 St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalms, Psalm 143 §§7-9, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8.
963 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Psalms.
964 St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 40:1-3; reprinted in Easter in the Early Church, Cantalamessa, p. 40.
Page 472
The door-posts of the Jews were sealed with the blood of the slaughtered animal: with the
blood of Christ are our foreheads sealed. And that sealing — for it had a real significance — was
said to keep away the destroyer from the houses that were sealed: Christ’s seal drives away the
destroyer from us, if we receive the Savior into our hearts. But why have I said this? Because
many have their door-posts sealed while there is no inmate abiding within: they find it easy to
have Christ’s seal in the forehead, and yet at heart refuse admission to His word. Therefore,
brethren, I have said, and I repeat it, Christ’s seal drives from us the destroyer, if only we have
Christ as an inmate of our hearts.. .The Lord therefore came as it were to the victim’s place, that
the true Passover might be ours, when we celebrated His passion as the real offering of the lamb.
St. Augustine 965
M atthew 27:51.-56
Then, behold, the veil o f the temple was tom in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the
rocks were split, ~ând the graves were opened; and many bodies o f the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
53 a n d coming out o f the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. ^ S o
when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had
happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son o f God!” ~Ând many women who followed Jesus
from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, ^ am o n g whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary
the mother o f James and Joses, and the mother o f Zebedee’s sons.
M ark 15:3 8 - 4 1
Then the veil o f the temple was tom in two from top to bottom. ^ S o when the centurion, who stood
opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son o f God!”
^ T h e re were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother o f James
the Less and o f Joses, and Salome, ^ w h o also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and
many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.
L uke 2 3:47-49
So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous
M an!” A n d the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and
returned. ^ B u t an His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching
these things.
J ohn 19:3 1-3 7

Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the
Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might
be taken away. 32Then the soldiers came and broke the legs o f the first and o f the other who was crucified with
Him. ^^ B u t when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. ^ B u t one o f
the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 A n d he who has seen has
testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. ^ F o r these
things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one o f His bones shall be broken.” ^Ând again
another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced. ”
965 St. Augustine, Commentary on John 11, Tractate L, NPNF, s. 1, v. 7, p. 560.
Page 473
The Veil of the Temple
Anyone who searches the scriptures with some diligence will see that there were two
curtains, an inner curtain which covered the Holy of Holies and another curtain exterior to either
the tabernacle or the temple. These two curtains are figures of the holy tabernacle which the
Father prepared from the beginning. [Ex. 25:9,40]. Of these two curtains, one was “tom in two
parts from the top all the way to the bottom. ” This happened a the time when Jesus “Cried out
with a loud voice and gave up His Spirit. ” [Mat. 27:50]
Thereby the divine mystery was revealed that in the Passion of the Lord our Savior the
outer curtain was tom from the top, which represents the beginning of the world. Thus by
tearing of the curtain the mysteries were disclosed, which with good reason had been hidden
until the coming of Christ. Both the outer curtain and the inner curtain would have been tom if it
had not been the case that we still know only “in part ” [1 Cor. 13:9] and if hit had not been the
case that everything were already revealed to the beloved disciples of Christ who constitute His
Body.
As it is, however, because we are being brought gradually to the knowledge of new
things, only the outer curtain is “torn from top to bottom.” But when the perfect comes [1
Cor. 13:10] and the other things which now remain hidden are revealed then the second curtain
may also be removed. We will then see even the things which were hidden within the second
curtain: the true ark of the covenant, the chembim, the true mercy seat and the storehouse of
manna in a golden bowl, and all of these clearly [Heb. 9:35]—and even things greater than these.
All of this has been revealed through the law of Moses when God said to him, “Make everything
according to their forms which were shown to you on the mountain. ” [Ex. 25:40]
The veil is tom. This declared the division of the two peoples or the profanation of the
mysteries of the synagogue. The old veil is tom so that the Church may hang the new veils of its
faith. The veil of the synagogue is taken away, so that we may see the inner mysteries of
religion with unveiled eyes of the mind. [2 Cor. 3:14] Even the centurion confesses the Son of
God Whom he had crucified.
St. Ambrose967
He surrenders His life, yet He has power to take it again. [John 10:17-18]. Yes, the veil
is tom, for things of heaven are being revealed, rocks split, and dead men have an earlier
awakening.
Perhaps the Spirit, when He saw the Son hanging naked, lifted Himself up [from its
dwelling in the Holies of holies] and tore in two the clothing.
Perhaps the symbols when they saw the Lamb of symbols, tore the curtain apart and went
out to meet Him.
Perhaps the sprit of prophesy, which was dwelling in the temple and had come down to
herald His coming to humanity, flew away at that very instant to announce in the heights
967 St. Ambrose, Exposition o f the Gospel o f Luke, 10.128, AACS 3, p. 368.
968 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 29, On the Son 20, AACS, 3, p. 235.
concerning our Lord’s ascent into heaven. “The tombs split apart ” [Mt. 27:51] so that He might
show that He could have tom the wood of the Cross apart He did not tear apart the Cross
through which the Kingdom would be tom from Israel. He did not shatter the Cross through
which sin would be chased out from the middle of the Gentiles. Instead, the Spirit tore the
curtain apart. To show that the Sprit had come out from the temple, it summoned the righteous
that came out of the tombs [Mt. 27:52-53] as a witness to His going out from the temple. These
two departures were proclaiming each other mutually. The Spirit anointed and sacrificed the
kingship and the priesthood. The Spirit, wellspring of these two offices, therefore went out from
there, so that it would be known that both of them had been cut off by him who had taken on
both of them...
The curtain was tom. [This was ] to show that [the Lord] had taken the kingdom away
from them and had given it to others who would bear fruit. [Mt. 21:43].
An alternative explanation is by the analogy of the tom curtain, the temple would be
destroyed because His Spirit had gone away from it. Since the high priest had tom his robe, the
Spirit tore the curtain to proclaim the audacity of the pride [of the Jews], by means of an action
on the level of created beings. Because [the high priest] had tom his priesthood and had cast it
from him, [the Spirit] also split the curtain apart. [Mt. 27:51].
Or [alternatively], just as the temple in which Judas had thrown the gold [Mt. 27:5] was
dissolved and rejected, so too [the Lord] pulled down and rent asunder the curtain of the door
through which [Judas] had entered.
Or, [it was] because they had stripped Him of His garments that He rent the curtain in
two. For the heart of the rock was burst asunder [Mt. 27:51] but their own hearts did not repent.
The earth shook, the rocks split, and the graves were opened
Many indeed are the miracles of that time: God crucified; the sun darkened and again
rekindled; for it was fitting that the creatures should suffer with their Creator; the veil rent; the
Blood and Water shed from His Side; the one as from a man, the other as above man; the rocks
rent for the Rock’s sake; the dead raised for a pledge of the final Resurrection of all men; the
Signs at the Sepulcher and after the Sepulcher, which none can worthily celebrate; and yet none
of these equal to the Miracle of my salvation. A few drops of Blood recreate the whole world,
and become to all men what rennet is to milk, drawing us together and compressing us into unity.
And the earth shook, that is, all flesh trembled when the new word, the realities of the
new covenant, the new song and all new heavenly things came upon them. This is what the
prophet wrote concerning this very event, “All [namely, the disciples of Christ] who saw these
things trembled and everyone was afraid. ” [Ps. 63:9]
The literal meaning of the great signs is undoubtedly that both heaven and earth and all
things within them wished to acclaim their cmcified Lord. It seems to me, however, that the
trembling earth and other signs also represent a type of believers, namely, those who once were
969 St. Ephram the Syrian, Commentary on Tatian’s Diatesseron 21.6, AACS, v. 3 p. 369, .lb , p. 235.
970 St. Gregory Nazianzen , On the Holy Pasch, Oration 45.1, NPNF, s. 2, v. 8.
Page 475
comparable to a graveyard but who, having abandoned the errors of their former ways and
having softened their stony hearts, have come to acknowledge the Creator.
St. Jerome972
The earth shook. For the earth could not hold this dead Man. The rocks split for the
Word of God and the power of His eternal goodness rushed in, penetrating every stronghold and
principality. Graves were opened, for the gates of death had been unlocked. And a number of
the bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose. Dispelling the shadows of death and
illuminating the darkness of hell, Christ destroyed the spoils of death itself at the resurrection of
the saints, who saw Him immediately. The centurion and the guards who witnessed this
disturbance of the entire natural order confessed Him to be the Son of God.
The person who crucified the Author of his salvation and afterward did not beg for
forgiveness is not free from son. Granted, he did not know previously Whom he was
persecuting. Nevertheless, he should have recognized that the One placed on the Cross was the
Lord of all the elements. All the elements trembled beneath Him. The sky was darkened. The
sun fled away. The earth split apart. The tombs of the dead lay open, and the dead regained the
company of the living. For this reason also the centurion said, “truly this man was the Son of
God.” The centurion recognizes a stranger, but the Levite does not know his own. The Gentile
worships Him, but the Hebrew denies Him. it was reasonable that the pillars of the world moved
when the chief priests did not believe.
St. Ambrose974
The Women Served Him
Certain women were notably present as these things occurred. They were most inclined
to feel for Him, to grieve over His sufferings. See how great their dedication is! They had
followed Him ministering to Him, wherever He went—even in time of great dangers. They
had witnessed all these events—how He wept, how He yielded up His Spirit, how the rocks were
split, and all the rest.
The women were first to see Jesus at His death and burial. The gender that is most likely
to be ridiculed was first to enjoy the sight of His resurrected blessings. They most steadily
showed their courage. Even when the disciples had fled in the darkness, these women were still
present.
Among these women was His mother, for she is called Mary.. .975. But another evangelist
said, that many also lamented over the things that were done. They beat their breasts, which
above all shows the cruelty of the Jews, for that they gloried in things for which others were
lamenting, and were neither moved by pity, nor checked by fear. For indeed the things that were
done were of great wrath, and were not merely signs, but signs of anger all of them—the
darkness, the cloven rocks, the veil rent in the midst, the shaking of the earth, and great was the
excess of the indignation....

973 St. Hilary o f Poitiers, On Matthew 23.7, AACS lb, 297.
974 St. Ambrose, The Prayer o f Job and David, 1.5.13, FC v. 65, p. 336, AACS, v. 2, p. 369.
975 Because St. John Chrysostom wrongly identifies Mary the mother o f James and Joseph (Mt. 27:46) with the
mother o f Jesus, the Holy Virgin Mary, we have edited out this reference to avoid any confusion.
Page 476
Let us men imitate the women; let us not forsake Jesus in temptations. For they for Him
even dead spent so much and exposed their lives, but we (for again I say the same things) neither
feed Him when hungry, nor clothe Him when naked, but seeing Him begging, we pass Him by.
Yet, if you saw Himself, every one would strip himself of all his goods. But even now it
is the same. For He Himself has said, Lam He. Why then do you not strip yourself of everything?
For indeed even now you have heard Him say, You have done it for Me; and there is no
difference whether you give to this man or to Him; you have nothing less than these women that
then fed Him, but even much more...
Women attended to the food and clothing of their masters from their own possessions.
This was according to Jewish custom. This practice did not proceed from Gentile law and even
could have been a scandal among the Gentiles. Paul himself mentioned that he was unable to
continue this custom, “Can it really be said that we do not have the ability to lead the sisters
around the women just as the other apostles also do? ” [1 Cor. 9:5] These women waited on the
Lord out of their own resources. He reaped from their physical support as they benefited from
His spiritual blessing. It was not because the Lord of all creatures was out of necessity looking
for food but rather that He might present a model of teaching and discipleship for them. Note
carefully, though what sort of attendants he had: Mary Magdalene from whom eh cast out seven
demons. Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and her own aunt, the sister of Mary, the mother
of the Lord. The mother of Zebedee’s sons, a woman who had sought care for her children of
the kingdom. And there were other women present.
St. Jerome977
Isaiah is said to have prophesied concerning these women when eh wrote, “Women are
coming to the spectacle for this is not a wise people.” [Is. 27:11] He calls women who had been
distant wand were looking upon Jesus from afar. He calls them to the Word, that they might
abandon a foolish, forsaken people and come to the New Covenant. I consider these women
blessed who were elevated to beatitude their vision by the Word and by the bodily death of
Jesus; for everything in Christ, if seen truly, beautifies the beholder.
The Blood and Water
He caused the fountain of remission to well forth for us out of His holy and immaculate
side: water for our regeneration, and the washing away of sin and corruption; and blood to drink
as the hostage of life eternal.
St. John of Damascus 979
Eve was created only when Adam slept; just as the Church was created when the Lord
slept on the Cross.
St. Augustine980
977 St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew, 4.27.55, AA CS lb, p. 298.
978 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 141, ACS, lb, p. 298.
979 St. John o f Damascus, Exposition, Book 4, Ch. 9, NPNF, s.2, v. 9, p. 78.
980 St. Augustine, Commentary on Genesis, FC.
Page 477
Would you like to know how the church is built up from water and blood? First, through
the baptism of water, sins are forgiven; then the blood of martyrs crowns the edifice.
St. Jerome981
At His earthly course began with water, so it ended with it. His side is pierced by the
spear, and blood and water flow forth, twin emblems of baptism and martyrdom.
St. Jerome982
The Lord was wounded in His Passion, and from that wound there went forth blood and
water.. .water for washing, blood for drink, the spirit for His rising again. For Christ alone is to
us hope, faith and love—hope is His resurrection, faith in the laver, and love in the Sacrament.
St. Ambrose983
‘Blood and water came out’ -not simply without a purpose, or by chance, did those fonts
come forth, but because by means of these two together the Church consists. And the indicated
in the Mysteries know it, being by water indeed regenerated [in baptism], and nourished by the
blood and the flesh [in the Eucharist]. Hence the Mysteries take their beginning; that when you
approach to that awful Cup, you may approach as drinking from His very side.
St. Jerome, Homily 66, A A CS, v. 1 p. 71.

St. Jerome, Letter 69 to Oceanus, §6, NPNF, s. 2, v. 6, p. 146.
! St. Ambrose, Concerning Virgins, Book 3, Ch. 5 §22, NPNF, s. 2, v. 10, p. 385.
1St. John Chrysostom, Homily 85, PG 59, 507, ONT, p. 547.
Page 478
T w elfth H our .
T he Burial
Lam. 3:1-66; Jonah 1:10-2:7; Ps. 87:4, 22:3. 44:9,11
Matt. 27:57-61, Mark 15:42-16:1; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42
“God descended, He was humbled for us

so that we may ascend in safety and in confidence.”
St. Jerome9 5
After the death of one crucified, it was customary for the Romans to leave their bodies on
the crosses until the birds or beasts of the desert could eat them. The Jews, on the other hand,
used to throw those bodies killed in a pit called the Hannoum valley, which means Hell. The
body of Jesus could have been thrown with the two thieves, but Joseph of Arimathea requested
the Body from Pilate and took It with the help of Nicodemus, who was a member of the
Sanhedrin.986 We commemorate the burial of our Lord one hour after taking His Body from the
Cross—for it took some time to acquired the approval of the Sanhedrin, prepare the tomb, gather
the spices, and cleanse the Body for burial.
Although the Israelites had never practiced embalming, the more affluent made greater
preparations for burial. They wrapped the body in long strips of linen and treated it with a
mixture of spices. When they finished, the body looked somewhat like a mummy. This is how
Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea prepared the body of Jesus (John 19:39-40).987 He came
bringing a mixture of about 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes, fulfilling^the prophesy in Isaiah that
they would make “His grave...with the rich at His death. ” (Is. 53:9).
985 St. Jerome, Homily 41 on the Psalms, FC v. 57.

987Vos, H. F. 1999. N elson’s New illustrated Bible manners and Customs : How the people o f the Bible really lived.
988Ibid.
Page 479
Burial normally took place the same day, since the hot climate brought quick
The Holy Pascha
decomposition and offensive odors. Wealthier families buried their beloved ones in either
natural or man-made caves in the hillsides of Palestine, often times on their own estates. Joseph
of Arimathea had cut the tomb in which Jesus was put (Mt. 27:60), no doubt planning it for
himself or His family.989
The First Old Testament Reading is from Lamentation, where the prophet speaks of the
pains and sufferings of our Lord inside the tomb. We all await His resurrection.
The second reading is from the first book of Jonah, a well-known symbol of the Lord’s
burial and resurrection.
Two psalms are then chanted, both relating to the pit of Hades and His death on the
Cross. This is chanted in the most beautiful hymn of Pekethronos (mentioned several times
above).
The gospels then explain the burial of our Lord.
The priest covers the icon with a white linen cloth and places the cross over it. He then
covers them with rose petals and spices, as remembrance of the Hebrew burial tradition. He
places two candles on each side of it—representing the two angels at the tomb of Christ. The
priests, according to their ranks, start reading the Psalms 1, 2, and 3 until they reach “I lay down
and slept ” (Ps. 3:5)"° Then the curtain of the altar is closed and the 150 psalms are read in their
entirety.
L a m en ta tio n s 3? u 6 6
I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod o f His wrath. ^He has led me and made me walk In
darkness and not in light. 3 Surely He has turned His hand against me Time and time again throughout the day.
^H e has aged m y flesh and my skin, A n d broken m y bones. ^He has besieged m e A n d surrounded
me w ith bitterness and w oe. *>He has set m e in dark places L ike the dead o f lon g ago.
7He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out; He has made my chain heavy. Êven when I cry and shout,
He shuts out my prayer. ^He has blocked my ways with hewn stone; He has made my paths crooked.
l^He has been to me a bear lying in wait, Like a lion in ambush. ^ H e has turned aside my ways and tom
me in pieces; He has made me desolate. ^ H e has bent His bow And set me up as a target for the arrow.
l^ H e has caused the arrow s o f H is quiver To p ierce m y loins. ^ 1 have become the ridicule o f all my
people-- Their taunting song all the day. ^ H e has filled me with bitterness, He has made me drink wormwood.
l^He has also broken my teeth with gravel, And covered me with ashes. ^ Y o u have moved my soul far
from peace; I have forgotten prosperity. ^ A n d I said, “My strength and my hope Have perished from the L o r d .”
1^Remember my affliction and roaming, The wormwood and the gall. ^ M y souj still remembers And
sinks within me. ^ T h is i recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.
22-Through the L o r d ’ s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23They are new
every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. ^^”The L o r d is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”
2 5 T h e L o r d is good to those w ho w ait for H im , To the soul who seeks H im . 26j t (s g00(| that one
should hope and w ait quietly F or the salvation o f the L o r d . 21 ft fs good for a man to bear The yoke in his
youth.
^ L e t him sit alone and keep silent, Because God has laid it on him; ^ L e t him put his mouth in the dust--
There may yet be hope. ^®Let him give his ch eek to the one w ho strikes him . And be full o f reproach.
For the Lord will not cast o ff forever. ^T h ough He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion
According to the multitude o f His mercies. 33p0r He does not afflict willingly, Nor grieve the children o f men.
990 HPB, 504.
Page 480
3 4 to crush under one’s feet All the prisoners o f the earth, -^To turn aside the justice due a man Before the
face o f the Most High, ^ O r subvert a man in his cau se- The Lord does not approve. ^ W h o is he who speaks and
it comes to pass, When the Lord has not commanded it? ^ I s it not from the mouth o f the Most High That woe and
well-being proceed? -^Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment o f his sins?
40L et us search out and exam ine ou r w ays, A n d turn b ack to the L o r d ; ^^Let u s lift ou r hearts and
hands To G od in heaven. ^ W e have transgressed and rebelled; Y ou have not pardoned.
4^You have covered Yourself with anger And pursued us; You have slain and not pitied. ^ Y o u have
covered Yourself with a cloud, That prayer should not pass through. ^^You have made us an offscouring and refuse
In the midst o f the peoples.
46 All our enemies Have opened their mouths against us. 47pear an(j a snare have come upon us,
Desolation and destruction. 48My eyes overflow w ith rivers o f w ater F or the destruction o f the d aughter o f m y
people.
49M y eyes flow and do not cease, W ithou t interruption, ^ T i l l th e L o r d from heaven L ooks dow n
and sees. ^ M y eyes bring suffering to m y soul B ecau se of all the daughters o f m y city.
5^My enemies without cause Hunted me down like a bird. ^ T h e y ended my life in the pit and they have
laid a stone over me.991 ^ T h e waters flowed over my head; I said, “I am cut off!”
5^1 called on Y ou r nam e, O L o r d , F rom the low est pit. ^ Y o u have heard my voice: “Do not hide
Your ear From my sighing, from my cry for help.” ^ Y o u drew near on the day I called on You, And said, “Do not
fear!”
58 q Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life, L o r d , Y ou have seen
how I am wronged; Judge my case. 60 Y ou have seen all their vengeance, All their schemes against me.
61 Y ou have heard their reproach, O L o r d , A ll their schem es against m e,
6^The HpS o f my enemies And their whispering against me all the day. 63Look at their sitting down and
their rising up; I am their taunting song.
^^Repay them, O L o r d , According to the work o f their hands. 65 G iv e them a veiled heart; Your curse be
upon them! 66jn Your anger, Pursue and destroy them From under the heavens o f the L o rd .
In its beautiful and touching tune, the church cries out its lamentation for Her beloved. In
this hour, we see the Holy Virgin Mary carrying The Lamb of God, we see Joseph of Arimathea
and the women anointing the Holy and Pure Body with spices, dressing It for burial. “My eyes
overflow with rivers o f water...my eyes flow and do not cease, without interruption...my eyes
bring suffering to my soul because o f all the daughters o f my city. ” Truly this is the cry of the
church, who is weeping with the holy women, the daughters of the city.
The Church sings from the Book of Lamentations, full of the prophesies of this burial,
and foreshadows the Decent of our Lord into Hades to free Adam and Eve from the bondage of
sin. Yes there is much grief, but there is also much hope. Death and sin attack me saying, “Call
out now, Is there anyone who will answer you? ” (Job 5:1). Is there anyone to answer me? “But
as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause— Who does great things, and
unsearchable, marvelous things without number. He gives rain on the earth And sends waters on
the fields. He sets on high those who are lowly And those who mourn are lifted to safety. ” (Job
5:8-11)
For we shall call for You, and You shall answer. You answer me as You answered the
Psalmist, who testifies, “In the day o f my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me. ”
(Ps 86:7). Lord, You assure me always saying, “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him, I
will be with him in trouble I, will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him And
show him My salvation. ” (Ps. 91:15-16) And again, saying “The LORD is near to all who call
991 Septuagint translation, which is quoted by the Fathers, like St. Cyril of Jerusalem below.
Page 481
Treasurer o f the Fathers o f the Church t The Holy Pascha
upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. ” (Ps. 145:18) Thus, Jeremiah tells us Him, “I
called on Your name, O Lord, from the lowest pit. You have heard my voice. " Lord, you heard
my voice when I was in the pit of sin, not only because You hear my voice in every place, but
especially now, for You have descended into the lowest pit to lift me up from my sin, and give
me the power of Your Resurrection.
You lift me as You lifted Peter from the waters, from the anguish of his doubt and
straying from Your holy precepts. You lifted the man beside the pool of Bethesda from his
suffering, anguish and pain. You lifted the sinful woman from her weeping, and told her, “Go
and sin no more. ” You lifted Lazarus and many others from the dead on earth, now You shall
do the same for those who are in the tombs.
J o n a h 1i-io~2:7
Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that
he fled from the presence of the L o r d , because he had told them. 1 ^Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you
that the sea may be calm for us?”—for the sea was growing more tempestuous. ^ A n d he said to them, “Pick me up
and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of
me.” ^Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more
tempestuous against them. ^Therefore they cried out to the L o r d and said, “We pray, O L o r d , please do not let us
perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O L o r d , have done as it pleased You.”
So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. l^Then the men feared
the L o r d exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the L o r d and took vows.
l^ N o w the L o r d had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish
three days and three nights.
2;1Then Jonah prayed to the L o r d his God from the fish’s belly. Ând he said: “I cried out to the L o r d
because of my affliction, And He answered me.
“Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, A nd You heard my voice. ^For You cast me into the deep, Into the
heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
4Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ 5The
waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. ^1 went
down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have
brought up my life from the pit, O L o r d , my God.
7 ”W h e n my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your
holy temple.
Events did not just happen without Divine providence; for God sent strong winds which
caused great gales announcing God’s anger against disobedience. He sent a big fish by the ship
to swallow Jonah and thus supply him with a safe sleeping place rather than death, and to show
him God’s care for him.
St. Jerome says: “The Lord showed His anger when Jonah was in the ship, and showed
His joy when he entered unto death,” explaining that there he represented Christ the Lord Who
trampled death by His death. Truly Jonah appeared as a victim of death who was swallowed by
Hades, that could not stomach him for more that three days and three nights, but spat him out
from its depth so that the prophet would say, “O death, I will be your plagues! O grave, I will be
your destruction” {Hosea 13:14).
Inside the fish, Jonah entered into death to discover the mystery of Christ’s resurrection
which is victory over death. In the great fish, Jonah gave us the most beautiful song of praise
which expressed Christ’s redeeming work during the moments of His death on the Cross and His
burial. Thus, the Church sings that hymn at the beginning of the 12th hour on Great Friday
following the chanting of Jeremiah’s Lamentations. So if the Lamentations express what
Page 482
bitterness our sins have done to the Lord, then Jonah’s hymn lifts up the partition to reveal God’s
victory over Hades and His redeeming work which lifts the believers to the Holies in an
unspeakable glorious joy.
How do you calculate three days and three nights? (Jon* 1:17)
Christ emphasized that what happened to Jonah inside the whale was a symbol of what
happened to Him: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly in the great fish, so
will the Son o f Man be three days and three nights in the heart o f the earth. ” (Matt. 12:40).
Thus, by throwing Jonah in the sea or by the suffering of the Lord, the spirit of Divine
fear descended on us thus we became eligible to offer a holy sacrifice and pay our vows to Him.
First: St. Jerome says that the Jews consider a part of the day as a whole day and thus the
repose of Christ is calculated from Friday to Sunday despite the fact that He died on the Cross on
Friday at the end of the day and arose at dawn on Sunday. St John Chrysostom says that if the
Lord had waited till the end of the day on Sunday to rise from the dead, the soldiers would have
been off duty by then and the Jews would have believed that the soldiers left their posts; but He
arose while they were guarding the tomb.
Second, St. Jerome also presents another argument, which was supported by some, that
the darkness, which came over the land when Christ was on the Cross, was a different, unique
kind of night.
Third, others consider the time of burial started when the Lord gave His Body to His
disciples at the Last Supper, as though He was buried inside human earth in order to raise it up
with Him; a heaven for Himself with His resurrection on the dawn of Sunday.
At any rate, the Lord was buried for three days and rose again. This is the reality which
the disciples witnessed and which God validated with many evidences, so that we may live it as
the mystery of our daily resurrection and our victory over death and Hades. Jonah was used as a
living proof of the resurrection of the body at the end of time by his encountering death
and emerging from it.
Scripture again witnesses that the space of those three days did not imply whole days in
their entirety. Rather the first day is counted as whole from its last part, and the third day is itself
also counted as a whole from its first part. But the intervening day, i.e., the second day, was
absolutely whole with its twenty-four hours, twelve of the day and twelve of the night. For he
was crucified first by the voices of the Jews in the third hour, when it was the sixth day of the
week. Then He hung on the Cross itself at the sixth hour, and yielded up His Spirit at the ninth
hour.
St. Augustine994
Next let us remark in what way, when asked in regard to one sign, that He might show it
from heaven, to the Pharisees and Sadducees who put the question, He answers and says, “An
evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there shall be no sign given to it, but the
sign o f Jonah the prophet, “ when also, “He left them and departed. ” [Mt. 16:4] But the sign of
992 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Patristic Commentary on Jonah, pp. 10-11, 31.
993 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Patristic Commentary on Jonah, pp. 10-11.
994 St. Augustine, On the Trinity 4.6.10, NPNF, s. 1, v. 3, p. 74.
Page 483
Treasures o f the Fathers o f the Church v The Holy Pascha
Jonah, in truth, according to their question, was not merely a sign but also a sign from heaven;
so that even to those who tempted Him and sought a sign from heaven He, nevertheless, out of
His own great goodness gave the sign. For if, as Jonah passed three days and three nights in the
fish’s belly, so the Son of man did in the heart of the earth, and after this rose up from it—
whence but from heaven shall we say that the sign of the resurrection of Christ came? And
especially when, at the time of the passion, He became a sign to the robber who obtained favor
from Him to enter into the paradise of God; after this, I think, descending into Hades to the dead,
“as free among the dead. ” [Ps. 88:6]
The Savior seems to me to conjoin the sign which was to come from Himself with the
reason of the sign in regard to Jonah when He says, not merely that a sign like to that is granted
by Him but that very sign; for attend to the words, “And there shall no sign be given to it but the
sign of Jonah the prophet. ” Accordingly that sign was this sign, because that became indicative
of this, so that the elucidation of that sign, which was obscure on the face of it, might be found in
the fact that the Savior suffered, and passed three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
At the same time also we learn the general principle that, if the sign signifies something,
each of the signs which are recorded, whether as in actual history, or by way of precept, is
indicative of something afterwards fulfilled; as for example, the sign of Jonah going out after
three days from the fish’s belly was indicative of the resurrection of our Savior, rising after three
days and three nights from the dead; and that which is called circumcision is the sign of that
which is indicated by Paul in the words: “We are the circumcision. ” [Phil. 3:3] Seek you also
every sign in the Old Scriptures as indicative of some passage in the New Scripture, and that
which is named a sign in the New Covenant as indicative of something either in the age about to
be, or even in the subsequent generations after that the sign has taken place.
PSALM 2 2 : 4 ; 4 4 : 9 * 11
They laid Me in the lowest pit, in dark places, and in the shadow of death. Yes, even if I should walk
through the valley off the shadow of death, I will fear no evils; for You are with me.”
Your throne O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of righteousness.
M yrrh, and allows and cassia are exhaled from Your garments.
This hymn was chanted several times before but to the words of different psalms. First,
during Tuesday 11th hour psalm for the oil (avechion). Then on the Eve of Great Thursday in the
3rd Hour, the First Hour of Thursday, and during this hour. As mentioned in the passage above,
the Scholar Origen connects this psalm with the other readings in this hour. For as the Psalmist
speaks about the “lowest pit” it represents Hades and the grave, which was represented
symbolically with Jonah in the belly of the fish and fulfilled actually when the Lord was placed
in the tomb.
See how God became man after the giving of the law by Moses? Hear also a second
testimony to Christ’s Deity, that which has just now been read, “Your throne, O God, is forever
and ever. ” For lest, because of His presence here in the flesh, He should be thought to have been
advanced after this to the Godhead, the Scripture says plainly, “Therefore God, even Your God,
has anointed You with the oil o f gladness above Your fellows. ” See Christ as God anointed by
God the Father?
995 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 2.12.2, ANF, v. 10,

996 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, p. 220.
Page 484
His Throne is forever and ever. ’ Why? for that first throne of the Kingdom was but a
temporal one: whence then have we a “throne for ever and ever”? Because it is God’s throne. O
divine Attribute of Eternity! for God could not have a temporal throne. “Your throne, O God, is
for ever and ever — a scepter o f direction is the scepter o f Your Kingdom. ”
The scepter o f direction ” is that which directs mankind: they were before crooked,
distorted; they sought to reign for themselves: they loved themselves, loved their own evil deeds:
they submitted not their own will to God; but would fain have bent God’s will to conformity
with their own lusts. For the sinner and the unrighteous man is generally angry with God,
because it does not rain! and yet would not want God to be angry with him because he is
reckless. And it is pretty much for this very reason that men daily sit, to dispute against God:
“This is what He should have done: this He has not well done.”
Do you know what you are doing? He knows what He is doing. You are the one that is
crooked! His ways are right. When will you make the crooked coincide with the straight? It
cannot be made to coincide with it. Just as if you were to place a crooked stick on a level
pavement; it does not join on to it; it does not cohere; it does not fit into the pavement. The
pavement is even in every part: but that is crooked; it does not fit into that which is level. The
will of God then is “equal,” your own is “crooked:” it is because you canst not be conformed
unto it, that it seems “crooked” unto you: rule you yourself by it; seek not to bend it to your own
will: for you canst not accomplish it; that is at all times “straight”! Would you abide in Him?
“Correct yourself” so will the scepter of Him who rules you, be unto you “a rule of direction.”
Thence is He also called Kings from “ruling.” For that is no “ruler” that does not correct.
Hereunto is our King a King of “right ones.” Just as He is a Priest (Secedes) by sanctifying us, so
is He our King, our Ruler, by “ruling” us...
St. Augustine997
Matthew 2 7 : 5 7 - 6 1
Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also
become a disciple of Jesus. ^ T h is man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the
body to be given to him. 59when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ^ a n d laid it in his
new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.
61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
MARK 1 5 : 4 2 - 1 6 : 1
Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and
taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ^^Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and
summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. 45So when he found out from the
centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46jhen he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the
linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the
tomb. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.
16: l]sjow when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought
spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
L uke 2 3 : 5 0 - 5 6 .
Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. 51 He had not
consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for
the kingdom of God. 52This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53Then he took it down, wrapped it
997 St. Augustine, NPNF, s. 1, v. 8, pp. 340-1.
Page 485
in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. ~^That day was the
Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near. A n d the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after,
and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. 56jhen they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils.
And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.
J ohn 1 9 :3 8 ~ 42
After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate
that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.
39And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a
hundred pounds. ^ T h e n they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of
the Jews is to bury. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in
which no one had yet been laid. ^ S o there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was
nearby.
Joseph o f Arimathea
This was Joseph of Arimathea, who had been hiding his discipleship up to this time.
Now, however, he had become very bold after the death of Christ. Joseph was not an obscure
persons. He .was highly visible, a member of the council and highly distinguished. From this is
becomes clear that he was a man of special courage. For he exposed himself to death, taking
upon him the enmity of all by his affection for Jesus. He not only dared to ask for the body but
he did not desist until he obtained it. He did more than receive it and bury it in a splendid
manner. He even laid it in his own new tomb. Joseph thereby showed both his love and his
courage. This did not occur randomly or without purpose. It occurred so that there should not be
any unsupported suspicion that hone had risen instead of another.
Joseph of Arimathea is referred to as a rich man not because the writer of the Gospel
wanted to boast that very wealthy and noble men were disciples of Jesus but rather in order to
show why he was able to obtain Jesus’ body from Pilate. For the poor and obscure did not have
the right to approach Pilate, the representative of Roman power, and obtain the body of the
Crucified. In another Gospel, the same Joseph is called boulletes, which means “councilor” or
“senator” [Mk. 15:43, Lk. 23:50] Some think that the first psalm was composed with him in
view: “Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel o f the impious. ” [Ps. 1:1]
St. Jerome999
998 St. John Chrysostom, The Gospel of Matthew, 88.2, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, p. 522.
999 Jerome, Commentary of Matthew, 4.27,57, AACS, lb, pp. 299-300.
Page 486
The Shroud and the Tomb
He was wrapped in a clean linen shroud and put it in a new tomb where no one was
buried, thus preserving the body of Jesus for its glorious resurrection. But I think that this
shroud was much cleaner from the time it was used to cover Christ’s body than it ever had been
before. For the body of Jesus retained its own integrity, even in death, so that it cleansed
everything it touched and renewed even the new tomb which had been cut from the rock...
Joseph did not roll many stones over the entrance to the tomb but only one great stone. [This
stone] was greater than the power of those who lay in wait but not greater than the power of the
angels who descend from heaven and removed the stone and sat on it. [Mt. 28:2] For all things
which surround the body of Jesus are thereby clean and new and not simply “great” but
surpassingly great.
Notice the clean linen in which the pure Body of Jesus was wrapped and the new tomb
that Joseph had hewn out of the rock, where "no one was yet lying, "...It suited Him who was
unlike other dead people but who even in death revealed signs of life in the water and the blood.
He was, so to speak, a new dead man, laid in a new and clean tomb. His birth was purer than all
the others, since He was not bom in the ordinary way, but of a virgin. At His burial, the new
tomb where they deposited His body also symbolically indicated His purity. It was not built
from stones gathered from various quarters not having natural unity. It was quarried and hewed
out of one rock, united together in all its parts.
This above all shows the foolishness of those who say that the Word was changed into
bones and flesh. For if this had been so, there would have been no need of a tomb. For the body
would have gone by itself to preach to the spirits in Hades. But as it was, He Himself went to
preach while the body that Joseph wrapped in a linen cloth laid away at Golgotha. And so it is
demonstrated to all that the body was not the Word, but body of the Word. .
St. Athanasius1002
We are able to discern from the spiritual sense of Scripture that the Body of the Lord
must not be covered in gold nor jewels and silk, but pure linen. This may also mean, however,
that the one who wrapped Jesus in clean linen is he who received him with a pure mind...His
body was placed in a new tomb lest it be imagined after the resurrection that one of the other
interred bodies had arisen. The new tomb, however, may also signify Mary’s virginal womb.
The great stone was placed at the entrance to the tomb in order to show that it could not be
opened without the help of several persons.
St. Jerome1003
1001 The Scholar Origen, Against Celsus, 2.69, AACS v.3, p. 372.
1002 St. Athanasius, NPNF, s. 2, v. 4, p. 572; That it was not the Word laid in the tomb, but the Body of the Word.
The Word was not changed into bones and flesh but assumed bones and flesh. Our Lord descended into Hades
while His Body remained in the tomb. -Comment AACS 2, p. 239.
1003 St. Jerome, Commentary of Matthew, 4.27, 59-60, AACS, lb, p. 300.
Page 487
Joseph of Arimathea, having asked Pilate to return Jesus’ body, wrapped it in a shroud,
The Holy Pascha
placed it in a new tomb carved out from a rock and rolled a stone in front of the entrance to the
tomb. Although this may indeed be the order of events and although it was necessary to bury
Him who would rise from the dead, these deed are nevertheless recounted individually because
each of them is not without some importance. Joseph is called a disciple of the Lord because he
was an image of the apostles, even though he was not numbered among the twelve apostles. It
was he who wrapped the Lord’s body in a clean linen shroud; in this same linen we find all kinds
of animals descending to peter from heaven.1004 It is perhaps not to extravagant to understand
from this parallel that h church is buried with Christ under the name of the linen shroud. [Rom.
6:4, Col. 2:12]. Just as in the linen, so also in the confession of the church are gathered in the
full diversity of living beings, both pure and impure. The Body of the Lord, therefore, through
the teaching of the apostles, is laid to rest in the empty tomb newly cut from a rock. In other
words, their teaching introduced Christ into the hardness of the Gentile heart, which was uncut,
empty and previously impervious to the fear of God. and because he is the only one who should
penetrate our hearts, a stone was rolled over the entrance of the tomb, so that just as no one
previous to Him had been introduced as the Author of divine knowledge, neither anyone be
brought in after Him.
The Savior is placed in the sepulcher of another because He died for the salvation of
others. For what could He have to do with a sepulcher, to whom death did not only belong?
What has he to do with a tomb upon the earth, whose set is in heaven? What had he to do with a
sepulcher, who was only in the grave three days, not so much like one lying in death, as like one
resting in a bed? [Is. 53:9]
St. Augustine1006
We seek to know exactly where He was buried. Was His tomb made with hands? Does
it rise above the ground, like the tombs of kings? Was the sepulcher made of stones joined
together? What is lad upon it? O prophets, tell us exactly about His tomb. Where is it? Where
should we look for it? The answer, “Look at the solid rock that you have hewn. ” [Is. 51:1]
Look and see. You have in the gospels, “in a rock-hewn tomb.” What is next? What kind of
door does the sepulcher have? Again, the prophet says, “They have ended my life in the pit, and
they have laid a stone over m e [Lam. 3:53] I am “the chief cornerstone, chosen, precious” [1
Pet. 2:6; is. 28:16] he that is “a stone o f stumbling” [1 Pet. 2:8] to the Jews but of salvation to
those that believe was for a while within a stone. The tree of life was planted in the earth to
bring blessing for the earth that was cursed and to bring release for the dead.
Anointing His Body
Why do the two Mary’s wait beside the sepulcher? As they did not fully know His
greatness. They had brought ointments. They were waiting at the tomb so that if the madness of
the civil authorities should relax, they might go and care fro the Body. Do you see these
1004 This sheet is mentioned in Acts 10:11-12 symbolized the church, according to Hilary, for it wraps and holds the
Body of the Lord.
1005 Hilary of Poitiers, On Matthew, 33.8, AAGS lb, p. 300.
1006 St. Augustine, Harmony of the Gospels, 3.22, NPNF, s. 2, v. 6, p. 208.
1007 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures 13.35, FC v. 6, pp. 27-28, AACS v. 3, p. 371.
Page 488
women’s courage? See their depth of affection? See their noble spirit in providing? See their
The Holy Pascha
noble spirit even to death? Let us imitate these women! Let us not forsake Jesus in time of trial!
These women exposed their lives so much for Him when He was alive. But we men, I repeat,
neither feed Heim when hungry nor clothe Him when naked. See Him begging, we pass Him by.
And yet if we might really behold Him in the neighbor, we would divest ourselves of all our
goods.
Wise women followed our common Savior Christ, gathering whatever was both useful
and necessary for faith in Him. When He gave His flesh as a ransom for the life of us all, they
wisely committed themselves to care for His Body. They supposed that the corpse would
continue to remain in the grave.
Yesterday the lamb was slain and the door posts sprinkled with his blood, while
Egypt mourned for her firstborn. But the destroying angel and His sacrificial knife, fearful
and terrifying, passed over us [Ex 12], for we were protected by the Precious Blood. This
day we have wholly departed from Egypt and from Pharaoh its cruel tyrant and His
oppressive overseers. We are freed from laboring with bricks and straw [Ex. 5], and no
one forbids us celebrate the festival of our passing over, our pdsch, and to celebrate with
the leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bred of sincerity and truth. [1
Cor. 5:8].
Yesterday I was crucified with Christ; today I am glorified with Him. Yesterday I
died with Him; today I am given life with Him. Yesterday I was buried with Him; today I
rise again with Him.
1008 St. John Chrysostom, Gospel of Matthew, Homily 88.2-3, NPNF, s. 1, v. 10, p. 522.
1009 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 153, AACS v. 3, p. 373.
1010 St. Gregory Nazianzen , On the Holy Pasch and His Own Reluctance, AACF, lb, pp. 237-238.
Page 489
The Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem
Page 490
C h a p t e r 15
B r ig h t Sa t u r d a y
“H e L if t s U s U p "
J ohn 1 5 : 2 6 - 16 : 15
“If He descends into Hades, descend with Him. Learn to know the mysteries of
Christ there also, what is the providential purpose of the twofold descent, to save all men
absolutely by His manifestation, or there too onlv them that believe.”
St. Gregory Nazianzen 1 11
St. Gregory Nazianzen, Second Oration NPNF, s.2, v. 8,
Page 491
Passover is a joyful celebration, from which we pass over from death to life, from sin to
The Holy Pascha
holiness, from Hades to Paradise. The glorious Church provides us with the same path from
Great Friday to Easter through Apocalypse Saturday or “Bright Saturday.” On this day, the
Church is dressed in white, and filled with joyful hymns.
The Apostolic Canons promoted the assembly of the church on Bright Saturday, wherein
the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms were read until dawn.1012 Thus far, the Church has read
through the entire book of Isaiah, the Psalms, and most of the other prophesies and gospels.
During this festival of joy, the church continues in its prayerful meditations by reading the
praises from the Old Testament—spanning the entire breadth of the Bible, from the Historical
Books (Exodus), the Prophetic Books (Isaiah, Samuel, Daniel, Habakkuk, Baruch) the poetical
books (Lamentations, Job) and the Deuterocanonical books (Bell and the Dragon, Susanna).
After completing the Psalms of David the prophet, the clergy dress in their vestments and
light the candles. The highest ranking priest faces towards the east and chants Psalm 151 in
Coptic. While the psalm is read in Arabic or English, the book of psalms is then wrapped in a
white linen cloth, carried by the elder priest at the altar door with the candles lit. After its
completion, the priest, along with the priests and the deacons chant the hymn of the Second
Canticle (U&.peNovo>Ne/ efioX, “Let us give thanks”) while circuiting the church. After
circling the church, they start chanting the Midnight Praises from the First Canticle.
After the First Canticle is chanted, the priests and deacons sit in two rows, with the
candles lit in their midst, and begin the Old Testament readings. The readings here focus;on the
gateway of the Cross from death to life—the bridge from the suffering our Lord on the Cross, to
His glorious Resurrection. We enter into this celebration of the Cross and Resurrection through
two main means: baptism and repentance.
Those catechumens planning to be baptized during the Easter Liturgy were thoroughly
prepared through the readings of Bright Saturday, which focused on baptism. The Crossing of
the Red Sea and the story of the Three Holy Youth are symbolic of baptism—where God saves
His people both through the crossing of water, and saving them through fires of temptation and
sin. For those who were already baptized, this was a reminder of their baptism. Being reminded
of this first state, they were called to repentance.1013
The first seven Old Testament readings are as follows:
1) The Praise of Moses after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 15)—the Lord has rested; the
Lord will rise up and “pass over” the waters of baptism into life. By this song of praise, the
church declares it has been given the essence of this immortal praise mentioned in the book of
Revelation: “they sing the song o f Moses, the servant o f God, and the song o f the Lamb.” (Rev.
15:3). The Church chants this praise with a feeling of transfiguration, as someone standing
before the Throne of God on the sea of glass. He carries God’s harp and praises God with those
ones who overcame the dragon, its image, its qualities, and its many names.1014 Thus, this praise
represents the victory of the cross over any tribulation, controversy or turmoil. The Church
reminds us of the beginning of our journey to salvation through Baptism, in which our Lord has
led from Hades to Paradise, from Egypt to Israel, from this world to heavenly Jerusalem.
1012 Apostolic Constitutions, 5:19.

1013 The Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Anglican churches also celebrate Holy Saturday, but according to
different rites and traditions. It is common for most, however, to also baptize the catechumens on this day. In the
Catholic tradition, a special candle, “the paschal candle ” is lighted and placed on the altar. It stays on the altar until
Ascension Day (the Thursday 40 days after Easter) when Christ left His followers after 40 days of living among
them in His resurrected body.
1014 His Grace Bishop Mettaos. “Meditations on the Midnight Praise ” Translated by Margaret Rafla.
Page 492
2) The Praise of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, who had thanked the Lord for giving
her a son in her old age. (1 Samuel 2:1-10)
3) The Prayer of Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:10-20). In this prayer, we declare with Hezekiah,
to the Lord, “I will praise you all the days o f my life. ”
4) The First Praise of Isaiah the Prophet (Isaiah 25:6-8) speaks of the Sacrifice of the
Cross and the Blood. This is the “feast” of wines symbolizes the feast of the Cross, the ultimate
fulfillment of the Passover meal.
5) The Second Praise of Isaiah the Prophet (Isaiah 26:1-9). Here we declare that He will
swallow up death. This is our God we have waited for Him, in Him will we rest. This again
speaks of the resurrection when “He shall spreadforth His hands... ”
6) The Third Praises of Isaiah the Prophet (Isaiah 10-20) is another joyous praise
surrounding the sacrifice of the cross and the end of death.
7) The Praise of Manasseh, the son of King Hezekiah, explains the mystery of
repentance as well as the passing over from death to life.
After these seven readings, they then chant three Hymns for the Three Holy Youth: the
Third Canticle, Arepsalin, and Tenen. Just as these youth were saved from the blazing fire by
the Angel of God in their midst, so to are we saved from the fires of hell by the Messiah who
lives and dwells within us and among us. In the prayer of Azariah, we remember the prayer
which presents God supporting hand in the midst of the suffering and even His burial (Dan. 3:20-
28).
As indicated earlier, the reference of the Three Holy Youth has a long standing tradition
dating back to the Early Church. This tradition survives today in the Eastern Orthodox
Page 493
Churches. There, the excerpt from the Septuagint chapter of Daniel is one of three passages
from the Old Testament which are read after the ‘Little Entrance.’1015 As Fr. Lev Gillet writes:
“Miraculously protected from death, [the three holy youth] symbolize the victory of the risen
Christ. Their song of thanksgiving enjoins all nature to praise God... Thus, we will include the
entire universe in the joy of the Resurrection.1016
Saint Irenaeus also explains that the three youth, like Jonah and Elijah, are symbolic of
our resurrection from the dead. As Jonah emerged from the depth sea; Elijah ascended into the
highest; and the three youth emerge from the fiery flames.
St. John Chrysostom says, “For the three youths were cast into the furnace, and did not
even for this forget their piety. The flames did not frighten them—while that fire encircled them,
instead of fearing, they sent up those sacred prayers to heaven. Therefore the fire became a
wall unto them, and the flame a robe; and the furnace was a fountain. Although it received
them bound, it restored them free. It received bodies that were mortal, but abstained from them
as if they had been immortal! It knew their nature, yet it reverenced their piety! The tyrant bound
their feet, and their feet bound the operation of the fire!...1017
After they conclude these hymns, they continue with the reading from Daniel, where they
left off. They finish the following readings as well:
1) The Praise of Daniel (Daniel 6:1-23)—Just as God rescued Daniel from the lions, so
too has He saved us from destruction, agony, and pain. Daniel repents for the sins of all of his
people; as the Lord took for Himself the sins of the world. This prayer also mentions that the
Lord’s deliverance of His people out of Egypt, again a symbol of our deliverance from sin.
2) Prayer of St. Mary: The Theotokias are not chanted on this day since they speak in
detail of the Incarnation, as related through the Holy Virgin Mary. Since we are focused instead
upon the Crucifixion, Burial and Resurrection in this evening, we read here the prayer St. Mary
which relates to the Crucifixion.
3) Simeon’s Prayer: Simeon who lived only to see the glory of God. Once He beheld
the Mtssiah,iie departed in peace. The Church has us read this prayer at the end of each day (in
the 12th hour of the Agpeya, the Midnight Prayer and the Midnight Psalmody) to remind us of
our death in Christ.
4) The Story of Susanna (Daniel 13:1-64). We read then how Daniel saved Susanna
from the sentence of death, a symbol of Christ who saved us from our death sentence. The
prayer of Susanna reminds us of our own prayer to our Savior for this deliverance. Susanna is
freed of her false acusation when Daniel asks about the tree that she rested on. The tree is none
other than the Cross which saves us from the enemy.
5) The Story of Bell and the Dragon (Daniel 14:1-42). Here, Daniel reveals the secret of
the idol to the king, prompting the king to cancel Daniel’s death sentence. St. Cyril of Jerusalem
relates the fifth chapter to the ascension of the Lord: “Remember the Prophet who said, “ Who
builds His ascension unto heaven ” [5:33: cf. Ezek. 8:3] and all the other particulars mentioned
yesterday because of the gainsaying of the Jews.” 1018
6) The Praise of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:2-19) speaks of the Lord returning in glory:
‘His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full o f His praise. His brightness was like the
light He had rays flashing from His hand. ”
1015 The other two are the account of creation (Gen 1:1-13), and the Passover from Exodus 12. These readings are
read on Holy Thursday and Great Friday in the Coptic Orthodox Church.
1016 A Monk of the Eastern Church, The Year of Grace of the Lord: A Scriptural and Liturgical Commentary on the
Calendar of the Orthodox Church, SVS, 1992, p. 176.
1017 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch, Homily 4, NPNF, s. 1, v. 9, pp. 610-617.
1018 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Fourteenth Catechetical Lecture, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7.
Page 494
7) The Praise of Jeremiah (Lamentations 5:16-22) shows His immortality against His
enemies, “You, O LORD, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation. ”
8) The Praise of Baruch (Baruch 2:7-16)
9) The Praise of Elijah (1 Kings 18)
10) The Praise of Job fJob 19:1-13)
11) The Praise of Solomon (1 Kings 8:32)
Matins and the Book of Revelation
After these praises are read, they light candles and chant the hymn “Ten-owi ensok” (We
follow You”) in its annual tune. Then, they pray Matins prayer, as preparation for the Divine
Liturgy. Afterwards, they sit and read the Book of Revelation in its entirety.
By reading the Book of Revelation, we are reminded that of the Lord’s coming. We
remember His amazing Resurrection from the Dead and His Second Coming. This mysterious
book also encapsulates the entire Bible into one. As the entire week of Pascha was full of
prophesies from the Old Testament, this last day is full of prophesies from the New Testament.
This is perhaps one of the most powerful books in the Holy Bible, for it was given from
God the Father, to Christ, to an angel, to John. It is a book of symbols and mystery, a book in
which the past, present and future unite. There is victory, death, and pain.
As Fr. Pishoy Kamel says: “The church moves us to the delight of the resurrection and
beyond, when it finishes the service by reading the Book of Revelation. The priests, the deacons
and the congregation stay amid the seven oil candles before the throne of God (Rev. 1:4). These
seven candles are symbols of the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the
seven Spirits of God (Rev 4: 5). The seven candles are also the seven golden lamp stands (Rev.
1: 12) and the seven stars in His right hand which are the angels (bishops) of the seven churches.
The seven golden lamp stands also represent the seven churches (Rev. 1:16, 20). The readings of
this book reveal the mysteries of what is beyond resurrection. Much can be said regarding this
night, but it is the night of personal experience. No one can give a full account about the
concepts of this night unless you live it personally and live the readings as well as the tunes of
this wonderful rite. “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also
overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit says to the churches.9,1019
Thus we see that by remembering in the Descent into Hades, we gather to witness the
Resurrection unto eternal life. They continue with the Divine Liturgy. The psalm and gospel of
the day is mixed tune, half in the mournful tune of Holy Pascha, and half in the annual tune.
This shows again the mixture of joy and sadness that we began the week with.
Those who would be baptized on this day remember again that they are baptized into His
death, declaring with Saint Paul: “Or do you not know that as many o f us as were baptized
into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through
baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory o f the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness o f life. (Rom 6:3-4) And again, “you were also
...buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the
working o f God, who raised Him from the dead.99(Col. 2:11-12). The fathers also spoke about
this relationship between our baptism and His burial:
Page 495
Baptism is the Cross. What the Cross then, and Burial, is to Christ, Baptism has been to
us, even if not in the same respects. For He died Himself and was buried in the flesh, but we
have done both to sin.. .Here he hints, along with the duty of a careful walk, at the subject of the
Resurrection...For if you have shared in Death and Burial, much more will you share in the
Resurrection and Life.. .After the Resurrection to come had been set before us, he demands of us
another, a new conversation, which is brought about in the present life by a change in habits.
The soul when it was deified descended into Hades, in order that, just as the Sun of
Righteousness rose for those upon the earth, so likewise He might bring light to those who sit
under the earth in darkness and shadow of death : in order that just as He brought the message of
peace to those upon the earth, and of release to the prisoners, and of sight to the blind , and
became to those who believed the Author of everlasting salvation and to those who did not
believe a reproach of their unbelief, so He might become the same to those in Hades : That every
knee should bow to Him, o f things in heaven, and things in earth and things under the earth .
And thus after He had freed those who had been bound for ages, straightway He rose again from
the dead, showing us the way of resurrection.
1020 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 10 on Romans 5, NPNF s, 1. v. 14.

1021 St. John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book 3, Ch. 29., NPNF, s. 2, v. 9.
Treasures o f the Fathers of the Church t▼ Tê Pascâ
C h a p t e r 16
C o n c l u s io n
“O L o r d C o m e !”
Page 497
J J inally, then, comes our main aim through all this? It best comes by the words of St.
Gregory Nazianzen:
We were created that we might rejoice. We rejoiced when we were created. We were
entrusted with Paradise that we might enjoy life. We received a Commandment that we might
obtain a good repute by keeping it; not that God did not know what would take place, but
because He had laid down the law of Free Will. We were deceived because we were the objects
of envy. We were cast out because we transgressed. We fasted because we refused to fast, being
overpowered by the Tree of Knowledge... We needed an Incarnate God, a God put to death, that
we might live. We were put to death together with Him, that we might be cleansed; we rose
again with Him because we were put to death with Him; we were glorified with Him, because we
rose again with Him.
Through this praise and prayer, we may declare with the Psalmist, 6We went through fire
and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.” (Psalm 66:12) Through this
Holy Week, O Lord, we went through the fire of the Cross, as the Three Holy Youth. We
experienced the pain, suffering, and heartache. We went through the baptismal waters, the place
of rejoicing and victory. Now, we ask O Lord, take us into this rich fulfillment. We long to go
into the land where grief, sorrow, and groaning have fled away. We saw You work miracles on
earth, and we were crucified with You. But You lifted us in Your Resurrection and Ascension.
Lift us up forever with You, O Lord as You lifted Adam and Eve from their graves. We lived in
darkness, You gave us light. We lived in sin, You gave us holiness. We dwelt in sadness and
gloom; You have given us eternal joy.
“Came, Lord JesusI”

(Rev. 22:20)
Glory be to our God, unto the ages o f all ages, Amen.
1022 St. Gregory 'Mazianzen, On the Holy Pascli, Oration 43.1, W W , s. 2, v. *&
.
' ^ ^
Treasures of the Fathers of the Church The Holy Pascha
Index of References
AACS Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Series, New Testament.
AACS OT Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Series, Old Testament.
ANF Ante Nicene Fathers, 10 vols.
BOG Bede the Venerable, Commentaries on the Gospel, translated by L.T. Martin and
D. Hurst, 2 vols., Kalamazoo, Mich.: Cistercian Publications, 1990.
CLC St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Cistercian Publications,
CS Cistercian Studies, Kalamazoo, Michigan, Cistercian Publications.
CTD St. Ephram the Syrian, commentary on Tatian’s Diatesseron, AACS v. 2.
FC Fathers of the Church Series.
HOP St. Ephram the Syrian, Hymn on Paradise, 12.10, translated by S. Brock,
Crestwood, N.Y., St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1990.
HPB Holy Pascha Book, Holy Virgin Mary Church, 5th edition, March 2002, Los
Angeles.
JCI Commentaire sur Isaie, sources Chretiennes, v. 403, 1983, translated By Johanna
Manley, assisted by Dr. C. P. Roth.
JTG Fr. Pishoy Kamel, From Jerusalem to Golgotha, Archangel Michael Church,
Orange County, October 2001.
NPNF Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers Series, Two Volumes, Electronic Version.
ONT Orthodox New Testament, Holy Apostles Convent, Buena Vista, Colorado, 2000.
PG J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Cursus Completus, Series Graeca. 166 vols. Paris:
Migne, 1857-1886.
PPB Fr. Pishoy Kamel, The Passover by the Blood: The Holy Pascha, Ontario.
TGM The Blessed Theophylact, The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact o f the Holy
Gospel According to St. Matthew.
Page 499
“Imitate me, as I imitate C h r i s t (1 Cor. 11:1)
-Saint Paul Bm iU m km d
Dtarose ®f Us Angates. Gattfemte » # Hawaii
PiQ, S m 446? SSa«i®«# Bat, C A I1 H I
m; mn iii’tfstFa#;tte&itii-tiif
wwMasapls-aesj

Pascha Book ST Pauls Brotherhoodpdf PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Pascha Book ST Pauls Brotherhoodpdf PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

T r e a s u r e s of the Fa t h e r s of th e C h u r c h

Published and distributed by

1 St. Athanasius, Letter 5, NPNF, s.2, v.4, p. 1237.

“When we fast, we should hallow the fast.

1. Our Behavior Inside and Outside of Church

3. Follow the Steps of Christ

4. Share in the Fellowship of His Suffering

9. Confession and Communion

10. Spiritual Storage

A n O v e r v ie w o f the H oly Pa sc h a W eek

“He is the Pascha o f our salvation. ”—Melito of Sardis

6 Introduction of Holy Pascha CD, Dr. Ragheb Moftah

T he Last W eek o f M inistry

Morning Service Evening Service

Each of the above hours is divided into six separate sections:

15 St. Gregory Nazianzen, Second Oration NPNF, s.2, v. 8.

St. Hippolytus included some rules for this fast:

23 Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Book 5, §17, ANF, v. 7.

By the twelfth century, Patriarch Gabriel III summoned a committee of scholars to

28 These references taken from Wybrew, 7-9

As our beloved pontiff, H.H. Pope Shenouda III writes:

*1mm A® Remrrection and the L ife.”(John 1125)

Church Tradition and Rites

36 The Scholar Origen, Book 6, Ch. 24, ANF, v.10, p. 646.

The brothers o f Judah

46 On Providence, Fr. Tadros Malaty Commentary on Isaiah..

[This passage] clearly commands Jerusalem to rejoice exceedingly, to be especially glad,

50 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on John 66.1, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 245

Why Four Days?

WhM is the meaning of the stench?

51 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 62 on John 11:1-2, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14, p. 515.

Why did Christ weep?

56 St. Gregory Nazianzen , Oration on Holy Baptism, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, pp. 720-1.

62 St. Hilary of Poitiers, NPNF, s. 2, v. 9, p.506.

Why did He raise Lazarus, i f he would die again?

67 St. Augustine, Letter 263, NPNF, s. 1, v. 1.

What is the Importance o f the Bands?

75 St. Augustine, Letter 102 (409 AD), NPNF, s. 1, v. 1, p. 824.

“The Stages o f Sin” by S t Augustine 82

What happened to Lazarus afterwards?

The City o f Bethany as it looks today.

He Who sits upon the Cherubim: ^&HGT2/6!ACI 2/13CCN

The Old Testament Celebration

Palm Sunday in the Early Church

The Coptic Rite of Vespers and Matins

The Coptic Rite—Divine Liturgy

110 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts, NPNF, s. 1, v. 11, p. 238.

What is the significance o f the palm branches?

111 St. Augustine, Tractate 51, Chapter 12:12-26, p. 1

The Hebrew children spread their garments before Him

He does not sit on the bare colt, but on the apostles’

Did Christ sit on a donkey, on a colt or both?

What is them eaning o f “Rosanna ”?

Hosanna was a customary form of acclamation at the feast of Tabernacles. (Comp.

The exclamation used by the

Why H i m r Lmd cmrry mwhip* whmHe is theEimgqfPmee?

132 St. Augustine, Tractate 51, Chapter 12:12-26, p. 568-9.

“The Donkey and the Coif’by the Scholar Origen135

135 The Scholar Origen, Commentary on John, §18, ANF, v. 10.

136 St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue of Justin, Chapter 135, ANF, v. 1.

G eneral Fu n eral Service

137 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Commentary on Ezekiel, pp. 222-223.

140 Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh, Ch. 29, ANF, v. 3.