THE CRUCIFIXION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST We noticed in the previous chapters that St John the Evangelist is not inclined write a chronological narration. His aim is to reveal the person of Jesus Christ as the incarnate Word of God who came to save the world. Now that he speaks about the crucifixion of the Lord, he does not relate the historical events, but rather presents the person of the crucified Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior of mankind. He exults and is proud of the cross. 1 – Pilate’s Judgment 1- 15 2 –The Crucifixion 16-18 3 – The Title Put on the Cross 19-22 4 – Distribution of His Garments 23-24 5 – His Care for His Mother 25-27 6 – They Offer Him Vinegar 28-29 7 – He Gives up His Spirit 30 8 – His Side is pierced with a Spear 31-37 9 – The Burial of Jesus 38-42 1 – Pilate’s Judgment So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. [1] Pilate tried to release the Lord because he was sure Christ was innocent. He thought he could release Him because he traditionally used to release a prisoner at the Passover; yet he failed because of the people’s uprising. However, as he was still convinced that Jesus Christ committed no crime, he used another method, that is he allowed his soldiers to scourge and scorn Him so that he might prove to the people that Christ was helpless and therefore they should forgive Him. The Evangelist gives us an exposition of the judgment of the Lord. It is full of injustice: the plaintiffs are confused, the judge wavers between his feeling of injustice to Jesus and his fear of the rebellion of the multitude against him, and their claim that Jesus wanted to be king and oppose Caesar. Pilate failed to acquit Jesus, and therefore he was obliged to let the case proceed in accordance to the rules. He had to treat Jesus cruelly because of the danger and nature of the accusation. Pilate first condescended to the wish of the people and ordered his soldiers to scourge Jesus and treat Him as a rebel. Pilate hoped that by doing this he would legally prove that Jesus was innocent. Pilate was not serious in judging justly. For, though he knew that Jesus was righteous, he condemned Him to be scourged like a criminal [1]. Luke the Evangelist says that Pilate said to the multitude, “I will chastise Him and release Him” (Luke 23: 16). Pilate’s aim in scourging Jesus seems to have been his hope that the Jews would change their minds concerning His crucifixion. Clearly, Pilate felt that Jesus did nothing to deserve crucifixion. It seems that the scourging was executed in accordance to the Roman rules, which were far crueler than the Jewish rules. The Romans usually scourged those condemned to crucifixion. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The Lord Jesus Christ accepted this for our sake. As Isaiah writes, “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting” (Is 50: 6). The Psalmist says, “The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long” (Ps 129: 3). The Lord Himself had said, they will “deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify” (Matt 20: 19; see Mark 10: 34; Luke 18: 33). Saint Peter says, "by whose stripes we were healed"” (1 Pet 2: 24). The Physician was scourged so that the sick would be cured. He endured being scourged for our sake so that the believers would find their pleasure in enduring suffering for Him and partaking of His pains and crucifixion (Acts 5: 41; 16: 22, 25). Scourging was a terrible punishment. The historian Eusebius explains that they used a whip made of several strips made of leather with bits of metal or bone at the tips so that the flesh of the person scourged would be torn. Sometimes the veins and inner layers of the scourged were exposed. The Roman writer, Cicero, says that sometimes scourging caused death. The Roman soldiers were cruel and had no mercy. It may be that Jesus Christ could not carry the cross to the place of the crucifixion because He was scourged. Some scholars point out Christ’s quick death on the cross as the result of the cruel scourging. The Evangelists mention the fact that Christ was scourged but do not describe His pain. The Lord considered all sorts of suffering and abuse for our sake as easy. He loves us and longs for our redemption so that we should regard our partaking with Him, of His shame and pain, a glory that we do not deserve. * John the apostle says, ‘Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him.’ Pilate probably wished to calm the Jews and evade their anger. Just as he could not rescue the Lord with his first address to the Jews, he failed in stopping their wickedness to that extent. Saint John Chrysostom * We need to believe that Pilate did this for no reason but to let the Jews see this cruel treatment and be satisfied, without madly asking for His death. For the same reason the governor allowed his soldiers to do what followed. He may have commanded them to do that, though the Evangelist said nothing about this1. Saint Augustine And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns And put it on His head, And they put on Him a purple robe. [2] The soldiers used to scorn those who were convicted, especially that the soldiers represented the occupying authority that abused rebels against Rome. Their sarcasm fitted the accusation that He was “King of the Jews.” They did not find a king to put to death often, and they thought that scorning a king of the Jews was a farce hard to repeat. 1 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 116: 1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ “Purple”: this is an expensive color. It is a mixture of violet and red made of some kinds of rare fish shells. Purple clothes were expensive and linked to royal life, and worn by the rich and high ranking men in the nation. Matthew the Evangelist writes that they “put a scarlet robe on Him” (Matt 27: 28). This color is extracted from some dead insects and a scarlet robe is much cheaper than a purple garment that the military captains wore. The soldiers perhaps brought an old robe that a military commander had thrown away because it was old. The soldiers then used the purple gown to dress a poor Galilean (Jesus) who would be king! The crown of thorns and the purple robe denote royalty but the world uses them for wicked humor. * St John reports, ‘And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe.’ This Pilate did to please the angry Jews. For this reason he led the Lord Jesus Christ out, crowned with thorns, so that when the Jews would see Him so abused, they give would vent out their sickness a little and throw out their poison. Saint John Chrysostom Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands.” [3] Thus Pilate delivered Him up to the soldiers so that they deride Him. They therefore twisted a crown of thorns for Him and put it on His head instead of the crown of a king. They put on Him a purple robe as a king and in scorn they struck Him with their hands as they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 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.” [4] Pilate brought Him out to the Jewish leaders and the tumultuous crowds to show them that their accusation against Him, that He wanted to be king, was some kind of illusion. For here He was before them, His flesh torn with scourging and He had become an absurd subject of scorn. Pilate hurt the Lord Jesus Christ even though he knew that He was innocent. Then he brought Him out to the accusers hoping that they might drop their case against Him. Pilate declared that according to the Roman law he “found no fault in Him” [4]. There was no fault at all in Him, he repeated (Jn 18: 38). Thus Pilate pronounced himself guilty because since there was no fault in Christ at all, why then did he scourge Him and give Him to the soldiers to abuse Him? Why did he bring Him out to His prosecutors and did not release Him immediately as justice decrees? Then Jesus came out, Wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, https://coptic-treasures.com/ “Behold the Man!” [5] By saying, “Behold the Man” Pilate may have wished to assert to the Jews that if they thought Christ wanted to be king and oppose Caesar, this was false. For now that they saw Him so weak and helpless, having no followers who might oppose authority, they should not fear Him. By bringing Him out wearing the crown of thorns and with His head, face, and all His body covered with blood, to those who denounced Him, Pilate gave them the chance to insist on crucifying Him. For Pilate treated Him as a slave. He unjustly tortured Him because a slave had no right to defend himself. On the other hand, it was necessary to prove that a free man was guilty before tormenting him so cruelly. The Lord came out to become a spectacle, in front of the people, carrying our reproach. This is why the apostle Paul later said, “Let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach” (Heb 13: 13). His sight was so painful that Pilate said, “Behold the Man” without mentioning His name in some derision. That sight moved the heart of the man of wisdom almost a thousand years before. For he said, “Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousal, and in the day of the gladness of his heart” (Song of Solomon 3: 11). Some believe that the words of Pilate, “Behold the Man” bear a secret meaning. The word ‘Adam’ in Hebrew means ‘man’ “Behold the Man” may thus mean ‘Here is Adam whom God created to be king and given him power over all creatures, but he has become miserable and has brought a curse upon himself and all creation. Thus the Second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, has taken the place of the first Adam to bring the royal heavenly life to those who have lost even their temporary peace. Instead of death that the first Adam brought, Christ became life giving (1 Cor 15: 22, 45). This is what Pilate said and unaware of the meaning of what he said! Pilate faced the outburst of rage and hostility to Jesus by declaring His innocence. In so doing he became a witness across history. But Jesus did not utter a word. Pilate said, “Behold the Man.” He did not say, ‘Behold the culprit.’ As though he meant that according to him Christ was innocent of any guilt at all. Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, They cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, For I find no fault in Him.” [6] After hearing Pilate repeating that he did not find fault at all in Jesus, and after seeing Jesus’ body torn with scourging, His head and forehead pierced with thorns, and His face swollen with beating, the people could have asked for His release. But the chief priests and https://coptic-treasures.com/ officers quickly cried out saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him.” Their envy and malice were so extreme that they did not accept Pilate’s judgment. They were not sorry for the Lord’s pain. They, instead, considered Him deserving death even if He was innocent. For in their opinion their safety and the peace of the city necessitated His crucifixion and removal. The chief priests and their followers had come for one purpose, which is to stress the importance of Christ being crucified no matter what the price might be. They did not listen to anything Pilate said. But as they perceived his strong wish to release Him, they for the first time, said the words, “Crucify Him.” This was what the chief priests and officers said, disclosing what was in their hearts. For the third time Pilate declares the innocence of the Lord and then he says to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.” [6]. He knows very well that they cannot crucify Him. He says this only to rebuke them as though he says, ‘If your envy drives you to crucify Him, do not use me as an obedient means of that envy. I would then do evil against justice. My conscience is troubled. Act according to your envy if you can!’ * Observe how the judge presented his defense in many ways to acquit the Lord of the accusations against Him. But nothing of all this shamed them. They insisted on fulfilling their aim. The statement, “You take Him and crucify Him” is an expression of one who wants to be innocent of committing a crime, and wants to force the Jews to do something illegal. For, they brought the Lord to him to decide on crucifying Him. But what happened was the opposite, for, the judge declared the innocence of the Lord and did not indict Him.2 Saint John Chrysostom The Jews answered him, ‘We have a law, And according to our law He ought to die, Because He made Himself the Son of God.’” [7] The accusation that He opposed Caesar and the Roman authorities and stirred up the people proved false. So they charged Him with an offence which Pilate had no right to discuss. That accusation was that He had blasphemed and opposed the Jewish law. This was the business of the high priest and the Sanhedrin. Pilate and his men could not interfere in religious matters. The leaders accused the Lord of blasphemy and claiming He was divine, “because He made Himself the Son of God.” These religious men leaders understood from the Lord’s many speeches that by saying, “the Son of God”, He meant He was equal to God. They, therefore, accused Him of blasphemy. The prosecutors presented their indictment, which is that He blasphemed and therefore deserved death (Lev 24: 16). They were proud of the law even when they broke it and sinned against God. He who makes his boast in the law, does he dishonor God through breaking the law? (Rom 2: 23). They broke the law and thought they honored it. They did not listen to the prophecy, “Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed” (Is 10: 1). 2 Homilies on St. John, 84: 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ * Contemplate the accusation: “He made Himself the Son of God” [7]. Tell me is this an accusation that He who does the deeds of the Son of God calls Himself the Son of God? What then did Christ do? While they proceeded with one accusation after another, He continued His calm, thus fulfilling the words of the prophet, “He opens not His mouth. In humiliation His judgment was taken away” (Is 53: 7, 8 LXX).3 Saint John Chrysostom Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid,...” [8] When he heard that the accused did not only claim to be king, but also that He was divine, Pilate was greatly troubled and afraid. The case became more difficult for him. He could calm the people concerning His claim to royalty, but Pilate could not appease the terror of the people if Jesus said He was divine. At the same time Pilate feared the personality of Jesus because he was unable to identify Him. Pilate was sure that the religious leaders hated Jesus, but how could he be sure that Jesus was truly the Son of God. Pilate was afraid of taking part with them in the crime of opposing the incarnate Son of God. ‘…and went again into the Praetorium, And said to Jesus, ‘Where are You from? But Jesus gave him no answer.” [9] Pilate asked the accused a question inside the Praetorium. That question revealed what went on in his mind, which is that the personality of Jesus was a puzzle. As though he asked, ‘What is Your secret origin? Who are You? Tell me.’ This was a question that was often addressed to the Lord. The Jews asked Him, “Who do You make Yourself out to be?” (Jn 8: 53). He answered the Jews that no one knows Him except He who is with Him all the time and is of the same essence. For He said, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me” (Jn 8: 54). The Jews were confused because He announced, “It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him” (Jn 8: 54- 55). As Pilate was troubled and afraid he asked the Lord Christ, “Where are You from?” [9] Pilate spoke to Him in the Praetorium, in the court away from the noise of the Jewish leaders and the people. Jesus had answered Pilate’s previous questions, but concerning this question, ‘Jesus gave him no answer’ (Jn 19: 9). Pilate asked for information about Jesus in relation to this world. But the answer to the question needs leaving this world to comprehend the eternal. For, Christ is not a mere prophet among prophets, nor just a teacher, a worker of signs and cures. Therefore, He was silent. Pilate had asked Jesus, “Are You the King of the Jews?” (Jn 18: 33) and again, “Are You a king then?” (18: 37). Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king.” Now Pilate does not ask, ‘Who are You?’ or, “Are You the Son of God?” He asks, “Where are You from?” implying, ‘Are You a human being or celestial? Are You from beneath or from above? Pilate knew the town of the Lord- the man, and he was surely asking whether He was greater than man or not. It was not possible for him to ask this question directly, lest he should be accused of intruding in religious beliefs, and which the religious leaders only should decide. 3 Homilies on St. John, 84: 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The Lord said nothing, not because He could not, or because He did not care for Pilate’s salvation, but because He wished to give Pilate a chance to think carefully. Earlier, He had answered saying, “My kingdom is not of this world” (Jn 18: 36). In that discourse He had made it clear to Pilate where He was from. In the spirit of prophecy, Isaiah wondered at the Lord silence. Isaiah said in many passages, “He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street” (Is 42: 2). “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opens not His mouth” (Is 53: 7). * Pilate was afraid when he heard the Jews saying, “He made Himself the Son of God” [7]. He was terrified lest what they said should be true and he should be violating the law. He therefore did not ask Jesus what He did, but trembling with fear, he began examining Jesus as a person. He asked, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer because He had already said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (Jn 18: 36) and “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth” (Jn 18: 37). Pilate should not have resisted what he heard.4 * The apostle John says, “But Jesus gave him no answer.” As the Lord was silent and gave Pilate no answer, He made it clear that He obediently came to His agony. Saint John Chrysostom * He walked to judgment without opening His mouth. He was not like one with an evil mind convinced he had sinned. Rather in meekness He offered Himself a sacrifice for the sins of others.5 Saint Augustine Then 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?” [10] Pilate boasted of having power and was angry because the Lord did not answer his question. 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?” Pilate exaggerated in showing his power because he thought that he was in control of the situation. He did not realize that on the one hand he had no right to crucify an innocent person, and release another person who should be crucified according to the Roman law. On the other hand, Pilate forgot that God Almighty is there and nothing happens without His permission. We realize that the silence of our Lord Jesus was not because He refused to answer the question, but because Pilate could not understand the truth. Pilate therefore thought that he had 4 Homilies on St. John, 84: 2. 5 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 116: 4. https://coptic-treasures.com/ power to crucify or to release Him [10]. Jesus then answered that Pilate had what limited power allowed to him from above. * Do you see how Pilate condemned himself first. For, if he was in power, why did he not release Him when he found no fault in Him at all? Saint John Chrysostom 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.’” [11] Pilate may have expected that his words would give Jesus Christ a chance to speak to him so that he would release Him. But the Lord rebuked him for his pride, and for boasting of having power over justice, ignoring the role of God Almighty. The Lord Jesus Christ answered him so that He would remove his stupidity. As Solomon writes, “Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit” (Prov 26: 5). When Pilate used his power and unjustly scourged Him, the Lord Jesus was silent. However, when he proudly announced that he had power, Jesus scolded him so that he might know his limitations. Pilate forgot that “…he that is higher than the highest regards and there be Higher than they” (Ecc 5: 8). These are the last words that the Lord said to Pilate in this Gospel. Christ asked Pilate to know that every power a man on earth has is divinely given to him by heaven, not by Rome. God is truly Almighty and He, not the emperor or those that the emperor appoints as rulers and governors, has power over all human affairs. Pilate had not experienced such moments as this- when he had to judge a person whom some considered the Son of God and the King of Israel. He thought he was in control of the destiny of this person. But the Lord made it clear to him that he was only a tool in God’s hands, and that he could have done nothing without permission from God (Acts 4: 27-28). Still the Lord gave him some excuse when He compared his sin to that of those who delivered Him to be judged. However, this does not justify Pilate, nor does it relieve him of his responsibility. The responsibility of those who delivered Him is greater because they had read the Scriptures, and had heard the prophecies that were fulfilled in Him, and had also seen the miracles He had performed and the divine power He had. Some observe that here the Lord Jesus Christ was referring to Judas, the disciple who betrayed and delivered Him. But it is obvious that He did not mean Judas alone when He mentioned the one who delivered Him. He meant the entire Jewish nation and the chief priests. As Pilate had said before, “Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me” (Jn 18: 35). Indeed, Pilate did not find in Jesus Christ fault for which He should die. Judas, on the other hand, was a disciple and friend of Jesus and was given many blessings and possibilities to work for the heavenly kingdom. Pilate deviated from justice, but did not accept a bribe like Judas. Pilate was wrong in not insisting on releasing the innocent, but he was not envious and full of hatred and hostility like the Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus Christ. What does the Lord mean by sin here? According to John the Evangelist, He meant “not knowing God” as seen in Jesus Christ. https://coptic-treasures.com/ * The Lord destroyed Pilate’s pride and arrogance. For He said to him, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.” He made it clear that this event is unlike many other incidents, for what was happening was done in a mysterious way. 6 * When you hear the words of the Lord Jesus Christ to Pilate, “…unless it had been given you from above”, do not think that Pilate is innocent of transgression. The Lord said, “…the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin”; this shows that Pilate sinned. Saint John Chrysostom * When He did not answer, He was silent like a lamb; and when He answered, He taught us as a Shepherd. Therefore, may we learn the lesson as the Apostle also says, “…there is no authority except from God” (Rom 13: 1). He who delivers an innocent man to the ruler to kill him is more sinful than he who has power to kill for fear of a higher authority.7 Saint Augustine From 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.’” [12] The words of the Lord Jesus Christ did not cause Pilate to defend his power, but on the contrary they made him more earnest in wanting to prove the Lord’s innocence and release Him. This is evident in the uprising of the Jews and their screams as they accuse Pilate himself of not being Caesar’s friend if he neglected punishing the Man who opposes Caesar. Pilate then would lose his position if he did not perform his duty. Christ’s enemies found the means by which they could put more pressure on Pilate when they accused him of negligence in punishing a rebel. For, the Roman law respected the right and customs of the people they governed within their community. Moreover, the Roman law was extremely cruel and had no pity in crushing rebellion. Therefore, Pilate was in danger if the multitude persisted in complaining that he was lenient towards the accused. Pilate feared their protest against him before Tiberius Caesar, for he was known as the most passionate emperor. Tiberius listened to remonstrations against many men and he did not trust those who served him. Pilate was willing to free Jesus, but he was not ready to face an accusation that he failed in his duty as a friend of Caesar. He could not get into trouble with Rome at any price. * When the Jews could not find in their law an accusation against the Lord, they slyly turned to laws outside their own laws. For they said, “Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.” Now I ask the Jews, “How did the Lord Jesus Christ appear to be a rebel and usurper? How can you prove this? Please, explain! Was He wearing a crown? Did He look like a usurper? 6 Homilies on St. John, 84: 2. 7 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 116: 5. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Did He have soldiers? He walked with twelve disciples. He was simple in the food He ate, the clothes He wore, and the place where He slept!”8 Saint John Chrysostom 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.” [13] The Pavement here was like a stone pavement usually in the open air. This was where the judgment seat was on which governors and rulers sat to judge. It was paved with blue, white, and black stones and marble. That place was called Gabbatha in Hebrew. The name is derived from ‘gaba’, which means ‘high’ because where the judge sat was usually high so that everybody could see the judge, follow the procedure, and hear the verdict. The judge stepped up on marble steps to the seat. The Pavement may be the name given to those steps. Some say that the word, ‘Gabbatha’ means a closed place because there was a wall surrounding it, made to prevent anyone from attacking the accused during the trial surrounded it. Others think that the place was confined to the trial of criminals who were dangerous to the state. The verdict was about to be announced because the governor sat down in the official judgment seat, or ‘curule’, an ivory seat for Roman judges and their representatives. Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, And about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” [14] The Evangelist first describes the place of judgment then specifies the time. That was about the sixth hour, meaning at noon, on the Preparation Day of the Passover, the days of unleavened bread (Luke 23: 54) and the Jews were preparing for the Passover Sabbath. This timing augments the guilt of those who crucified Him, for they did not wait until after the feast. This shows their bitter hatred and their haste in achieving their aim. They removed the old yeast from every house, but they did not remove their old nature from their hearts, minds and conduct. That was between the third and the sixth hour, because He was on the Cross at exactly the sixth hour. Mark the Evangelist writes that it was the third hour when they crucified the Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 15: 25). He considered the scourging as the beginning, but John the Evangelist said it was the sixth hour when Christ was actually on the Cross. Some writers believe that the sixth hour here is according to the Roman time that considers midnight as the beginning of a new day. The other Evangelists, however, used the Jewish time that marked the day as beginning and ending at sunset. So, the sixth hour in the morning was when the sentence was pronounced and the actual procedure of the crucifixion 8 Homilies on St. John, 84: 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ began. In some manuscripts and writings of the Fathers, the hour was the third, not the sixth hour. As the Jews turned their accusation against Pilate, he angrily ridiculed them saying to them, “Behold your King!” [14] He meant, ‘If you strongly seek to crucify Him, you hurt yourselves for He is your King.’ This arrow was his last attempt at saving the Lord Christ from crucifixion. * Pilate delivered the Lord Jesus Christ up to the Jews thinking they would pity Him. The proof that this was his aim is that he said to them, “Behold your King!” Saint John Chrysostom Deriding the Jews, Pilate announced, “Behold your King!” The Lord was at that moment probably crowned with thorns and wearing the purple or scarlet robe. Pilate did not realize that Christ was truly not only the King of the Jews, but was also the King of the entire world. In Him the prophecies were fulfilled that He was the Lord Jesus Christ. In the past, Gideon had refused to be king over Israel and looked forward to the Lord Himself to be the true King (Judges 8: 23). When the people asked Samuel the prophet to name a king for them like all the nations, God said to Samuel that the people did not reject him but rejected the Lord Himself to be their King (1 Samuel 8: 5, 7). Men of the Old Testament expected the fulfillment of the divine promise, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth, for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron’ (Ps 2: 7-9). It would have been proper for Pilate to announce to the entire world, ‘Behold your King who cares for the souls and raises them in His eternal kingdom of heaven.’ The Lord Jesus Christ came as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1: 29). He is the Lover of mankind, but He cannot bear to see their sins. He takes away their sins so that they may come to the Father carrying His righteousness. But here we see men not tolerating their Savior. They want to stop seeing Him. The wicked cannot endure God's love and cannot even behold Him! But 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!” [15] They cried out more that they could not bear His sight, “Away with Him, away with Him!” [15] They refused to be related to Him or have any relationship with Him. They had no king but Caesar. Isaiah the prophet looked at Him and said, “…whom the nation abhors” (Is 49: 7). He also said, “He has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not” (Is 53: 2-3). https://coptic-treasures.com/ Capital punishment by crucifixion was known in the past in and out of the Roman Empire. The ancient world looked at crucifixion as the most horrible manner of death because it was a shame and a curse. Ancient writers avoided describing crucifixion in details. Cicero wrote that crucifixion was “the most cruel and disgusting punishment” and Josephus said it was the meanest method of execution. The Roman philosopher, Seneca, explained that crucifixion was a slow and extremely painful death and wondered if anyone wanted willingly to die in this manner. He said, “Is it possible that a person would prefer to waste time in enduring the painful death of his organs one after the other and let his life end drop by drop instead of giving up his spirit at once? Does anyone wish to be nailed to the cross, a curse for a long time, disfigured, his body swollen because of his shoulder and chest wounds, and breathe while suffering extended bitter pain? Indeed, he would find many reasons to prefer death before crucifixion.”9 The Roman citizen was rarely condemned to be crucified. This punishment was used to deter slaves from rebellion and force them to accept humiliation and distress. As they stood against the Lord, the Jews did not want freedom; they did not want to be saved; they only hoped to get rid of Jesus. Thus, they became Caesar’s slaves. They lost their feeling that they were under Roman rule. The Jews, especially their leaders, hated Caesar and his representatives, but because of their hostility to the Lord they thought that loyalty and subjugation to Caesar was a better choice. They were ready to be under the rule of any tyrant representing Caesar. They would willingly obey him if that resulted in the removal of the Lord Christ. The answer of the chief priests implied their fear that their priesthood institution would come to an end. They accepted Caesar as their only king and they forgot God’s Kingdom. * Observe the Lord carefully in His trial. He allowed soldiers to drive Him. Pilate sat down to judge Him. He who sits at the right hand of the Father stands before the judge! The people He saved from Egypt were now crying out, “Away with Him! Crucify Him!” Why, O Jews? Is it because He healed the blind among you? Or is it because He made the lame walk and gave blessings to many? The prophet is amazed and says, “…against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue?” (Is 57: 4). The Lord Himself says in prophecies, “Mine heritage is unto Me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against Me: therefore have I hated it” (Jeremiah 12: 8). I did not reject them but they rejected Me, therefore I say, “I have forsaken My house” (Jer 12: 7).10 Saint Cyril of Jerusalem * They forced him saying, “Crucify Him.” Why did they strive to kill Him by this method? It is a shameful death! They feared lest in the future He would be remembered and therefore they condemned Him with a curse. They did not know that the Truth is glorified in all impediments. To prove that this was their fear, listen to what they said, “…we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise’” (Matt 27: 63). Therefore they stirred up all the people to turn the matter upside down to destroy further threats. The leaders corrupted the confused people who then cried out repeatedly, “Crucify Him!”11 9 Martin Hengel: Crucifixion. London 1977, pp. 30-31; Leon Morris, p. 655. 10 Article 13: 15. 11 Homilies on St. John, 84: 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ * “We have no king but Caesar”: they willingly submit themselves to punishment. God therefore gave them up, because as children they expelled themselves from His care and great guidance. As with one voice they glorified that foreign power, He permitted them to fall, as they required.12 * Here they came down from Christ’s Kingdom and claimed for themselves Caesar’s kingdom.13 Saint John Chrysostom 2 – The Crucifixion Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led Him away.” [16] As he did not fear God but feared men, Pilate signed the condemnation to crucifixion and delivered Jesus to those who should crucify Him. He who testified several times that Christ was innocent, finally dictated His punishment as a criminal. Pilate washed his hands (Matt 27: 24) to announce that he was innocent of that judgment. However, washing his hands will not make him innocent before God. To save time, the Jewish leaders went with the executors of judgment. They were afraid that Pilate would change his edict, for they saw him from time to time proclaiming the Lord’s innocence. Moreover, they feared the multitude might reconsider when they remembered the wonderful works of the Lord Jesus Christ and the testimony of Pontius Pilate that Christ was innocent. The multitude would then turn against the wish of the chief priests. This is how the adversary stirs up his followers to take every chance to hasten the destruction of faith in the Lord in the life of every believer so that he should not enjoy it. In their opinion, the leaders felt that they were successful in their plot and that the victim had fallen into their trap. They took the lamb to be slaughtered and did not comprehend that the prophets foretold what happened as God’s redemptive plan. * As Pilate heard them he quite foolishly delivered Him up to them. He should have ascertained that Christ aimed at obtaining royal authority. But he, out of fear only, pronounced his judgment. Christ had already said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” But Pilate was totally involved in temporary matters and did not rule, as he should. His wife’s dream was enough to terrify him, but nothing made him act well because he did not contemplate heaven, but he delivered Christ. Now they gave Him, as an evildoer, the cross to carry. They hated the cross and refused to touch the wood. That was the condition of the symbol, Isaac, when he carried the wood. But at that time, what should happen depended on the father’s decision because it was a symbol. But here the reality was accomplished practically.14 Saint John Chrysostom 12 Hom. 84. PG 59: 501. 13 Hom. 85. PG 59: 503. 14 Homilies on St. John, 85: 1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, Which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.” [17] As part of His suffering, He actually carried the cross. The slender, sensitive body carried the heavy cross. He carried it alone at first. Then He could not because of His weak body, the wounds caused by the scourging, the crown of thorns, and the slapping of His face. Therefore, Simon of Cyrene helped Him carry the cross (Matt 27: 32). As Isaac carried the wood of the burnt offering on his way to become a burnt sacrifice, similarly Christ carried the wood of the cross. As the prophet says, “…the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Is 53: 6). Saint Peter says, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness” (1 Pet 2: 24). They brought Him to the place of execution outside the city, to a place called Golgotha. Origen the Scholar referred to a tradition that said that this was the place where Adam was buried. There, where death defeated the first Adam and changed him into dust, Christ, the Second Adam died to vanquish death and give life back to Adam and his descendants. That place was on Mount Moriah where Abraham was about to offer his son, Isaac, as a burnt offering but God sent him a ram to offer instead of Isaac. Some writers believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on a hill that looked like a skull. * Some say that Adam died and was buried there and that Jesus achieved victory at the same place where death ruled. Christ went carrying the cross and triumphed over death. His cross was a symbol of victory, though the Jews intended something else.15 Saint John Chrysostom * He bore our pains and accepted suffering on the cross. He took our flesh and if He had not suffered He would not have shared our human life. He first suffered then descended. But what were those sufferings that He endured for our sake? Those were the sufferings of love!16 Origen the Scholar Where they crucified Him, And two others with Him, one on either side, And Jesus in the center. [18] Two others were crucified with Him, one on either side. This was probably not the time for them to be crucified; but the chief priests insisted they should be crucified as an insult for Him to be crucified with criminals. This may be why the two thieves reviled and abused Him because His crucifixion hastened theirs so that they may be crucified with Him. The high priest did not demand that two of His disciples should be crucified with Him. That might have been considered an honor that they were crucified for the sake of the truth and that the disciples shared His suffering. The high priest instead insisted that two criminals must be crucified with Him. Those two might have belonged to the group of Barabbas the thief. 15 Hom. 85. PG 59: 504. 16 Homilia 6 in Ezechielem 6 PG 13: 714 D. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The Jewish leaders wanted to declare that He was the most evil of the three because they crucified Him in the center. Yet, they did not realize that by doing this the prophecy was fulfilled that He was numbered with the transgressors. * If you ask, ‘What was the aim of the Jews that they crucified Him, and two others with Him? I would answer, ‘By doing this they unwillingly fulfilled the prophecy. For, Isaiah the prophet mentioned this long ago when he said, “And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death” (Is 53: 9). Satan wanted to conceal what happened but he could not. For, the three were crucified but only Jesus was glorious so that you know that His power is above all.’ There were signs when the three were crucified, but nobody referred the miracles to any of those two, but only to Jesus alone. Satan’s plan failed totally and instead, one of the two thieves was saved. He did not dishonor the cross, but he increased that honor to a great degree. For, the rebirth of a thief on the cross and his admission into Paradise is not less than the trembling of the rocks.17 Saint John Chrysostom 3 – The Title Put on the Cross Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ [19] St John calls the writing on the cross ‘a title’, ‘titlos.’ Matthew calls it ‘the accusation’, ‘citiei’, while Mark and Luke describe it as an inscription ‘apigraphe.’ John the Evangelist often points out the importance of the cross in the life of Jesus Christ. Thus, in chapter three, when Jesus met Nicodemus at night He said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (Jn 3: 14). Again, in His speech to the Jews the Lord says, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He” (Jn 8: 28). And to the Greeks He says, “And I if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” The Evangelist elevates our minds so that we may see the exaltation and glory we received through the Crucified. In Him we see our Christ glorified in and with His Father. We now have the right to go to the Father’s bosom. The essence of the cross is that He is lifted up on it to draw all peoples to Himself so that they may live at a more sublime level on earth. The Apostle Paul sees God’s love in the form of a Cross, drawn on humanity. For, he speaks of the width and length and depth and height of the love of God (Eph 3: 18). The measures of the cross seem to be the acquaintance with the secret of divine love. In eastern tradition the Cross is celebrated as a living person. It is seen as Jesus crucified requesting the heights, separating darkness from light, and ignorance from knowledge. As it became a sign of judgment, it distinguishes between those who yearn for the eternal light and those who are pleased with darkness. 17 Homilies on St. John, 85: 1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The meaning of the Cross is that one is lifted up beyond this world. It means that a person is open to the eternal world and regains partaking of the enlightenment so that he may go to God and let Him enter his life. The use of the words ‘up’ and ‘down’ is significant in the Gospel according to St. John as he talks about the person and work of the Crucified. Though this Evangelist does not write about the Last Supper, yet he records at great length the speech of the Lord about the Eucharist (Jn 6: 32-40). Christ affirms that He is the bread that comes down from heaven, or from above. Also the Lord’s speech about baptism, which is immersion, draws our hearts to birth from above to see, through the Cross, the depth of the love of God our Father (Jn 3: 3-8). In short, in the Cross, we are not of the world even though we are in the world (Jn 7: 6, 14, 16, 18). We are from above. We become partners of Christ who is risen from the dead and whom Mary Magdalene did not recognize until He called her by name. She and the disciples whom the Lord Jesus Christ accompanied as they were traveling to Emmaus thought He was a stranger. * Christ is the King of the Jews whose circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God (Rom 2: 29). They are those related to the free Jerusalem, our eternal mother in heaven, the spiritual Sarah who cast out of the free house the bondwoman and her children (Gal 4: 22-31). Therefore what Pilate wrote was written because the Lord said His word.18 Saint Augustine * In this way, Pilate combined two aims: his revenge of the Jews and his apology to the Lord Christ. For, when they defamed the Lord Jesus Christ by crucifying two thieves with Him, Pilate silenced them, and all who would blame the Lord, and made it clear that they rebelled against their King. In this way he took revenge of the Jews. As for his apology to the Lord, he expressed it by putting the writing on a board announcing clearly, though not completely, the Lord’s victory and the foundation of His kingdom. This board was similar to the sign given to the victorious conqueror.19 Saint John Chrysostom * he enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ testified that He is the King, King of Israel, for they wrote over His head on the Crss, ‘This is Jesus the King of the Jews” (Matt 27: 37). We accept this testimony even though it may be understood that His power and divinity are limited to the children of Israel. The title written on the cross testifies of Christ’s divinity not only to the Jews but also to all the people. He is King over the entire earth and rules over all its parts.20 Gregory of Nyssa Then 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.” [20] 18 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 117: 5. 19 Homilies on St. John, 85: 1. 20 Song of Solomon by St. Gregory of Nyssa, translated into Arabic by Dr. George Nawar, sermon 7. https://coptic-treasures.com/ This title was written in three languages that were prevalent at that time. Hebrew, which is the language of the Law, Greek, the language of philosophers, and Latin, the language of the rulers. For, the Lord was crucified to be King over all. * Even in His crucifixion, the chief priests envied the Lord Christ. I say to them, ‘this title does not harm you because if the Lord Jesus Christ was dead and weak and His name would be forgotten, why should you be afraid of what is written, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews”?’ [19] Saint John Chrysostom Therefore 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.’ [21] Crucifixion was not enough to satisfy their thirst for revenge. So they put pressure on Pilate to change the title and write, ‘He said, ‘I am the King of the Jews’ [21] but Pilate refused to do as they wished. They had already pushed him enough, and he could not do more. They wanted to declare that the Lord was a usurper of honor and authority and that they were loyal to Caesar; yet they were in submission to a foreign ruler and secretly wanted a Jewish ruler having full authority. They did not understand that their Ruler will “be cut off” (Daniel 9: 26). Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” [22] The Roman law forbade the change of the wording of the sentence once it is announced. It seems that Pilate unwillingly prophesied that this was the Messiah who will alone rule over the hearts. This prophecy is in Psalm 18: 22 written about a thousand years before the Crucifixion. 4 – Distribution of His Garments Then 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.” [23] He carried our sins. He also did not refuse to be naked on the Cross, so that we may see our own nakedness and pray that we put on the Lord Jesus Christ, our righteousness. It was an almost worldwide custom that the belongings of those who were condemned to death went to the executors of the sentence. Saint John the Evangelist presents to us the extremely few belongings of the Lord. These were His garments cast on the ground. The four soldiers who carried out the verdict distributed His garments among themselves. The seamless tunic remained. It was woven from the top in one piece. They cast lots for it so that they may not tear it. He became as though He did not own anything, not even the tunic that was like a second skin. His garments were on the ground belonging to nobody because the condemned to death had no say or right even to His own clothes. A man’s clothes in Israel at that time https://coptic-treasures.com/ consisted of an outside robe, an under robe, a head cover, a belt, sandals and underwear. However, there were no sandals among Christ’s belongings. The Jewish Philon of Alexandria writes that the tunic of the high priest in the temple in Jerusalem was always seamless and woven from the top in one piece. This was a ritual obligation. Some commentators say that this symbolized the priesthood of Christ. Some say that Christ’s tunic was similar to that of the high priest. The Jewish historian Josephus describes it as without seam, one piece on the shoulders and sides. It was long and had an opening for the neck and two for the arms.21 It has been reported that Christ’s mother made that tunic for Him when He was a child. Like the clothes of the people of Israel in the wilderness, Christ’s tunic was not torn, nor became old. * I think that John the Evangelist wrote this to reveal the common simplicity of the garments. Saint John Chrysostom Origen the Scholar observes that this tunic is symbolic of the perfect doctrine of Christ that must be preserved without a tear or division in parts. Saint Cyril the Great says it symbolizes the birth of Christ of a virgin, for she remained a virgin after His birth. But Saint Cyprian, who groaned because of the schism in the Church in North Africa, considers that the tunic without seam refers to the truly united Church that is never torn or mended. Saint Augustine wrote in a letter to the Donatists, “Why do you want to divide the Lord’s garments. Why do you not keep the tunic of love in the world whole, woven from the top. That tunic that even His oppressors did not tear?”22 Father Theodore of Mopsuestia believes that this type of clothes was common at the time of the Lord Christ, though by then, soldiers only wore it. * The garments were distributed for our sake. Nobody can have everything when the lots are cast. For the distribution of the Holy Spirit is not according to a man’s will. For, “…there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit…But one and the same Spirit works all those things, distributing to each one individually as He wills,” (1 Cor 12: 4, 11). Thus was the distribution of His garments, His works, and His blessings. We read that the tunic was “woven from the top in one piece.” The belief in Christ is woven in the same manner: for He came down to humanity since He was born of God before all ages and He accepted the flesh. The statement, “the tunic was without seam” also refers to faith, for faith must not be torn. It must remain whole.23 Saint Ambrose * The garments of the Lord Jesus Christ that were “made four parts” stand for the cardinal Church that spreads over the entire world. For, the world consists of four equal harmonious parts 21 Antiq. B3c.7.s.4. 22 Letters, 76. 23 Exposition 10: 116, 119, 120. https://coptic-treasures.com/ in four regions. For this reason, He says that He will send His angels and they will gather together His elect from the four winds (Matt 24: 31). Those are the four cardinal points of the world: the east, the west, the north and the south.24 * The tunic, for which they cast lots, refers to the unity of all the parts bound by love. When the Apostle wishes to speak about love he says, “I show you a more excellent way” (1 Cor 12: 31). He says again, “…to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge” and in another Epistle he writes, “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection” (Col 3: 14). If love is a more excellent way, if it passes knowledge and is above all things, then the tunic that represents love must be woven from the top and must be without seam.25 Saint Augustine “They 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 My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.’ Therefore the soldiers did these things.” [24] * Contemplate the prophecies that were fulfilled in the discussion of the soldiers. The crucified were three, but the prophecies were fulfilled in the Lord Christ. Why did not the soldiers do the same with the clothes of the other two crucified, and they did this with Christ alone? Observe the accuracy of the prophecy because the prophet David did not only say, “they divided My garments”, but he also mentioned what they did not divide. For they divided some garments, but His tunic they did not tear, but cast lots for it for one person to have it. Saint John Chrysostom Saint Jerome writes the Eustochuim about the life of virginity and the proper conduct of virgins. He observes that such virgins imitate the Lord Jesus Christ who had a tunic woven from the top, heavenly. May the married sew for themselves garments because they lost the robe woven from the top. In the same letter, he asks the virgins not to wear shoes. He writes, “Moses and Joshua had orders to take off their shoes because the land they stood on was holy (Ex 3: 5; Joshua 5: 15). That command had a secret meaning. Likewise when the disciples were appointed to preach, they were asked not take with them sandals or shoes (Matt 10: 10). When the soldiers began to cast lots for the clothes of Jesus, they did not find shoes to take because it was not possible for the Lord to have shoes when He prohibited His servants to have them.”26 5 – His Care for His Mother Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, And His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, And Mary Magdalene.” [25] 24 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 118: 4. 25 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 118: 4. 26 Letters 22: 19. https://coptic-treasures.com/ In Matthew 27: 56, and in Mark 15: 40, it is written that Mary the wife of Clopas is the mother of James the Less and of Joses and that her son James is the son of Alphaeus. It seems that Clopas and Alphaeus are two names for the same person. Hegesippus quotes Eusebius27 saying that Clopas was the brother of Joseph, Saint Mary’s betrothed. While all the disciples, except John, had run away, the women (His mother, her sister, and Mary Magdalene) remained with Him by the cross. The women were not afraid of the cruelty of the wicked or the horror of the spectacle. Indeed, they could do nothing, but they showed their loyalty to the end. They accompanied Him on the way of salvation, which He walked, and in which the prophecy of Simeon the Elder was fulfilled. He said to Mary, “a sword will pierce through your own soul” (Luke 2: 35). Though they were extremely sad, they did not behave inappropriately as was the custom of women at funerals at that time. They accompanied the Lord because they were loyal and loved Him. Truly, that was God’s great blessing that supported those women, especially His mother. While four soldiers executed violently and cruelly the sentence of crucifixion, in contrast, four women stood with Christ during His suffering. * The women stood by the Cross. The weak sex showed more manliness and everything changed definitely.28 Saint John Chrysostom When Jesus therefore saw His mother, And the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” [26] At that moment, Saint Mary’s heart was certainly totally absorbed by her Son’s agony. As for Him, His pain did not distract Him, for it was the fruit of His great love for His mother and for all humanity. He was involved in the redemption, the growth, and glorification of everybody. In a last sign of kindness to His mother, He wanted to secure care and help for her after His departure. He therefore gave her to whom He loved and was closest to Him out of all the disciples. Joseph the carpenter had certainly died years before. There was no one to care for Saint Mary. The Lord therefore, while on the Cross, gave her to Saint John the beloved as his mother, and gave to her Saint John as her son. By this, John obtained a new relation; he became the son of the mother of Jesus, the Lord of Glory. He left nothing for His mother since He had neither gold nor silver that she might inherit. The money box was for all the disciples and Judas who had it had probably squandered it. The soldiers took His clothes and Jesus had nothing to give His mother but to entrust her to whom He loved, John the apostle! Through the Cross, His mother enjoyed the motherhood of the others after her only Son, Jesus, was lifted on the cross. He did not say to her, ‘Mother’ but said ‘Woman.’ This was no 27 H.E.1:3:11. 28 Hom. 85. PG. 59: 506. https://coptic-treasures.com/ contempt or rejection of her motherhood, but rather not to increase her pain as a mother hearing her Son speaking in His last moments before His death. He may have desired to assert to her that He was not of this world. He therefore spoke to her, not in terms of mere blood relationship, but as she being a representative of the Church that He loved exceedingly. Nicephoros29 says that the Virgin Mary lived eleven years in the house of John in Jerusalem. Some say that she went with him to Ephesus. * I would like you to meditate on the fact that the Lord did everything without confusion while He was on the Cross. He spoke to His disciples about His mother. He fulfilled the prophecies: He gave good hope to the thief. Yet, although He willingly accepted crucifixion, He broke into a sweat; He suffered and was troubled. What does this mean? It is not difficult to understand it. Before His crucifixion He showed the weakness of human nature, but here He revealed the greatness of His power. Besides, He teaches us that before the terrible things happen, we are troubled yet cannot prevent them. But after the battle begins, we find things are possible and easy. Therefore, may we not fear death. Naturally our spirits love life, but it happens that the bonds of nature become loose and our desire for temporary life becomes weak.30 Saint John Chrysostom * That disciple gained a hundred times more than he gave when he received the mother of Him who grants everything.31 Saint Augustine Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. [27] * On the cross, Christ saw and divided the acts of piety between His mother and His disciple. The Lord testified not only on the general level, but also on the individual level. John referred to that testimony and gave witness to the greatness of this commandment.32 * His mother stood and disregarded the danger that surrounded her. She did that because of her zeal for piety. He disdained the dangers and gave His mother a pure devout Son. This passage teaches us to practice actual kindness. It also teaches children to respect their mothers. He declared that she who gave birth to God remained a virgin. Still, she was delivered in a secret manner to John, the youngest of the disciples. Here is the mystery of the Church. For, the Church at first was related in appearance, not practically, to the old nation. But she gave birth to the Word that was planted in the bodies and minds of men, through faith in the cross, and the burial of the Lord’s body according to God’s commandment. She then chose to adhere to the younger group.33 29 Eccv. His. Lib 2, 3. 30 Homilies on St. John, 85: 1. 31 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 119: 3. 32 Letter, 63: 109. 33 Exposition 10: 129, 132, 134. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Saint Ambrose * How wonderful that honor was that the Lord Christ gave to His disciple! How abundant that honor was because when He departed at that time He gave her to His disciple, That disciple cared for her and as she needed help the Lord entrusted her to His beloved disciple. * He teaches us to give unusual respect to our mothers. When our parents oppose us concerning spiritual concerns we must not cling to what is ours. Although they do not know us fully, we must offer them respect and prefer them to others because they are our parents who brought us up and endured terrible things for our sakes.34 Saint John Chrysostom * The Holy Bible teaches us that not only the biological father is called father, but also others may be called ‘father.’ Listen to what the Apostle says, “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel” (1 Cor 4: 15). Paul was father to the Corinthians, not according to the flesh but through teaching. And he begot them again through the Spirit. Listen also to Job who says, “I am father to the poor.” He calls himself father not because he begot them all, but because he cared for them. The Only Begotten Son of God Himself when He was nailed to the tree at the crucifixion, He looked at His mother in the flesh and at John, the most beloved of His disciples, and said, “Behold your mother!” He said to His mother, “Behold your son.” He declared she should pour her ‘parental’ love in John35 In this manner He indirectly explained Luke’s words, “and His father and mother marveled at Him”, these are the words that the heretics quote saying that He was born of a man and a woman. Just as Mary was called a mother of John because of her ‘parental’ love, not because she gave birth to him, likewise Joseph was a father of Christ because he cared for Him and brought Him up, not because he begot Him. For, the Gospel says, “…and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son (Matt 1: 25).36 Saint Cyril of Jerusalem * He is the virgin son who accepted the Virgin Mother an inheritance from the Lord.37 Saint Jerome 6 – They Offer Him Vinegar After this Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, That the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst.” [28] 34 Hom 85. PG 59: 506. 35 The Greek word is used about the love that the mother or father has for the son, or that the son has for his parents. 36 Article 7: 9. 37 Letter 127: 6. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The Evangelist mentioned previously, in his account of the Lord’s encounter with the Samaritan woman, that the Lord was thirsty and that also was at the sixth hour. Some say that it was at that hour, noontime, that Adam went out of Paradise. God, thus, shows His great love of mankind and His thirst for humanity to return to His divine bosom. During His service, the Lord Jesus Christ declared to the Samaritan woman that He was thirsty (Jn 4: 6-7) for He asked for her belief. At the end of His journey and on the Cross, He declared that He was thirsty for mankind to enjoy His redemptive work. We read that the flames of hell caused the rich man to feel thirsty and beg for a drop of water to wet his tongue. Our Christ, having taken our place, declared that He was thirsty so that we may drink of the fountains of His love. It was natural that the Crucified felt thirsty because his body lost a lot of water because of perspiration and the wounds. Our Christ did not complain of pain of the flesh because of the crown of thorns, the nails, and the spear. The only complaint that He uttered was that He was thirsty. Here He expressed His inward thirst in addition to His physical pain. The Psalmist David foretold this in the Psalm about the Crucifixion. He said, “My tongue clings to My jaws” (Ps 22: 15) and also in Psalm 69: 21. The synoptic Evangelists do not mention the Lord’s thirst. John the Evangelist alone records it. Now 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. [29] Some writers are inclined to think that this was to intensify His pain, but this was unnecessary because He was dying. It was usual to give the crucified a cup of wine to reduce his pain in his last moments. But in the case of the Lord they frivolously gave Him a sponge filled with sour wine or vinegar. Other commentators say the exact opposite. For, those who investigated the truth found proof that for a long time the Roman soldiers in the hot climate countries were given a special drink called ‘Pouska.’ That was a mixture of water and vinegar that would quench their thirst. Some people ask how can a sponge filled with vinegar be put on hyssop, which is a weak plant, and raised to the mouth of the crucified. They thought that the word ‘hyssop’ meant ‘a stalk’ because in Greek the word has those two meanings. The word ‘stalk’ appears in an eleventh century version. However, most researchers reject this meaning because ‘hyssop’ appears in all the former manuscripts and the manuscripts of the early Church Fathers. Raymond E. Brown says that there are eighteen plants that are called hyssop. There are also several kinds that have a long stalk that can lift a sponge to reach the mouth of a crucified man.38. The Lord Jesus Christ refused to drink wine before He was crucified (Matt 27: 34; Mark 15: 23). That was the wine that would have relieved His pain. 38 Leon Morris, p. 668. https://coptic-treasures.com/ * Who has such authority to shape what such a “Man” did to arrange everything concerning His suffering? But this Man is the mediator between God and men. The Man about whom we read in the prophecy…Who knows Him? He is He who revealed Himself bearing all those pains. He is Himself hidden, for He is God who prepared all the suffering. He saw everything that would happen and requested that it should be fulfilled. He therefore accepted to drink vinegar: ‘And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink’ (Ps 69: 21)39. * He said, “I thirst” [28] as though He said, ‘One thing you have failed to do, that was to give Me what you are.’ For the Jews were themselves, vinegar was extracted from the wine of the Father patriarchs and prophets. They were like a vessel full of the evil of this world. Their hearts were like sponges, for they were deceitful and in their depth were irregular pores. As for the hyssop on which they put the sponge filled with sour wine, that is a weak herb that cleans the heart and fits the humility of Christ whom they encompassed and thought they had absolutely trapped. It is therefore said in the Psalm, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean” (Ps 51: 7). For Christ’s humility purifies us, because if He had not humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Phil 2: 8), His blood would not have been shed for the remission of sins; in other words for our purification.40 Saint Augustine 7 – He Gives up His Spirit So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. [30] By saying, “It is finished!” the Lord Jesus Christ declared that the hostility of His persecutors had reached the end, and that the prophecies concerning His crucifixion had been entirely fulfilled. The shadow has been removed completely and the truth has been realized. He was sold for thirty pieces of silver; His hands and feet were pierced; His garments were divided, and they cast lots for His tunic. Moreover, they had just given Him vinegar for His thirst and finally His side was pierced. Now His sufferings are complete so that He may go carrying the spoils to Paradise. In replacement of the sad environment, He opens the gates of Paradise so that the spirits that are reposed in hope may rejoice. Now that He has offered His body a sacrifice, He, as the Great Heavenly High Priest goes to the Father so that the Father may smell the sweet savor. ‘He gave up His spirit’: His life was not taken from Him by force; He willingly gave it up. He said to the Father, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” He thus expressed His acceptance of death as His choice to redeem many spirits. 39 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 119: 4. 40 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 119: 4. https://coptic-treasures.com/ ‘And bowing His head’: Those who are crucified usually raise their heads to breathe. They do not bow their heads except at the very last breath. But to indicate His willing choice, the Lord Christ bowed His head, as in sleep or as surrendering to declare, first, that He carries the burden of our sins and evils. Some commentators observe that bowing His head proclaims the extent of the weight of our sins that He willingly carried for us. “For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me” (Ps 38: 4). “For innumerable evils have surrounded me” (Ps 40: 12). Bowing His head declares also His submission and obedience to His Father who is pleased to offer His Only Begotten Son a sacrifice of love for the human race. On the Cross, Jesus gave up His human spirit into the hands of the Father so that He may give His Holy Spirit to His Church. * ‘And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.’ This means that He died. Yet, giving the last breath does not come after bowing the head; but what happens here is the opposite. What happens to us did not happen to Him. We bow the head after the last breath, but He bowed His head and then gave up His spirit. The Evangelist clearly shows that Jesus Christ is Lord of all.41 * Do you see how the Lord did everything He desired with authority and without confusion? Saint John Chrysostom * He bowed His head and completed the journey of His spirit in comfortable work for it. Now His spirit is in the bosom of the Father who cares and strengthens it in His bosom. The Learned Origen * Who can sleep when he wants to, as Jesus died when He desired? Who is he who took off his clothes when he wished, as Christ put off His flesh as He pleased? Who is he who travels in this manner when he wants, like Christ who departed from this life as He pleased? How great is the power of Christ for whom we long and whom we fear, for He is the Judge. That greatness of power and authority He proclaimed while He was a dead man!42 Saint Augustine 8 – His Side Is Pierced with a Spear 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. [31] Every Sabbath was holy. But this Sabbath was during the Passover week when they ate unleavened bread and offered their first fruits. Therefore some considered it a ‘high day’ or ‘megale hemerra.’ It was the greatest of the days of preparation for the Passover. The 41 Hom. 85. PG 599: 507. 42 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 119: 6. https://coptic-treasures.com/ preparation for every Sabbath started at the ninth hour (3:00 PM) of Friday. Josephus43 writes that the Emperor Augustus decreed, for the sake of the Jews, that no one was obliged to offer greetings on the Sabbath beginning with the ninth hour of the day of preparation in accordance to the Jewish rites. Dead bodies were not allowed to remain on ordinary days (Deut 21: 23). Now they may have felt compunction and could not bear to see His body hung before them to remind them of their horrible crime and spoil the joy of the feast. Moreover, there were many strangers in Jerusalem, because of the feast, and the Jews did not want the body of the crucified Christ to remain hanging. Some writers observe that the Jews did not ask Pilate that the heads of the crucified might be cut off so that they die quickly without much pain. They rather asked their legs might be broken so that they suffer even more. Thus, even in asking for mercy (to take away the bodies from the cross) they were very cruel. When they pretended to be holy (the bodies did not remain so that the land might not be defiled) they were evil. They cared to keep the Sabbath, but had no regard for justice or righteousness. * The Jews swallowed a camel and strained out a gnat. They committed a great sin, but were very careful in keeping the Sabbath.44 Saint John Chrysostom Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other Who were crucified with Him. [32] But when they came to Jesus And saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. [33] The Lord Christ died quickly before the two thieves. That may be because His body was weak and He was gentle and could not endure all that suffering. Or, He may have permitted Himself to die before them so that everybody might comprehend that He died of His own will. He gave up His spirit into the hands of the Father at the time He chose. He surrendered to death of His own will, not as an obligation, but through His victory in love. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, And immediately blood and water came out. [34] The incident of piercing the side of Christ is recorded in this Gospel only. Jesus, who truly died in the flesh when His spirit left His body, declares that He is the beginning of life that conquers death. By His death He vanquished death and gave us back eternal life. The early Church Fathers, such as the saints Augustine, Ambrose and John Chrysostom, consider this (blood and water that came from Christ’s side) the first indication of the sacraments. Water is a symbol of baptism and blood is the Eucharist. We thus drink directly from the wound in the side of our Lord Jesus. The Learned Tertulian, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, 43 Josephus: antiq. 6. 16.c.6.s51. 44 Homilies on St. John, 85: 1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ and Saint Jerome believe that water and blood here are symbols of baptism and martyrdom.45 Others think that water stands for the Old Testament and blood is for the New Testament because in it the promise was fulfilled and the people of both Covenants enjoyed salvation. It is said that the name of that soldier is Longinus, and that when blood and water gushed from the Lord’s side some drops of blood fell on the soldier’s sick eyes and healed them. He then believed in Christ and preached in Cappadocia and received the crown of martyrdom there. Some say that the name Longinus is a phonetic corruption of the Greek word ‘longchee’ that means lance or spear, a word that occurs in this verse. The debate continues concerning which side, the left or right, of the Lord Christ was pierced. The Holy Spirit does not inform us through the Gospels but just says that Christ’s side was pierced with a spear in fulfillment of the prophecy. Some believe that the spear pierced the Lord Jesus Christ to the heart, and opened a window through which the spirit saw Christ’s heart full of divine love, or extremely fiery love for mankind. It is an open window through which the believer can meet God and send to Him affection. It is the window of the heart that is never closed to any repentant. God allowed the soldier to attack the heart of the Lord with a spear so that we may see in that heart the Rock that was struck for our sake (1 Cor 10: 4). We also see the fountain that flows for us (Zech 13: 1) and the wells of salvation that were dug for our sake (Is 12: 3). We see the river that overflows to give joy to the city of God. * The Lord was wounded in His suffering and blood and water came out of the wound. The water is for purification, the blood for drinking, and the spirit for His resurrection. For Christ alone is our hope, faith, and love. Our hope is in His resurrection, our faith is in the font, and our love is in the sacrament.46 Saint Ambrose * The soldiers came and broke the legs of the others but did not break Christ’s legs. However, they pierced His side with a spear to please the Jews and as an insult to the dead body. Now, the prophecy is fulfilled, “and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced” (See Zech 12: 10). Moreover, this act became an evidence of faith for those who did not believe later, like Thomas and similar people. This also conveys a great mystery that has been realized. For, blood and water came out and this was neither a coincidence nor did it lack purpose. The two springs flew together and through them the Church was established. Those initiated in the sacraments know this: that through the water they obtain a new birth, and through the Blood and Body they are invigorated. The mysteries were founded, thus from the beginning, so that when you approach the cup full of awe, this is like approaching Christ’s side to drink.47 Saint John Chrysostom 45 Letter 69: 6. 46 Concerning Virgins 3: 5 (22). 47 Hom. 85. PG 59: 507. https://coptic-treasures.com/ * Just as His work and service on the earth began with water, it also ended with water. They pierced His side with a spear, and blood and water gushed as symbols of baptism and martyrdom.48 Saint Jerome He announced this before, when He ordered Noah to make a door in the side of the ark (Gen 6: 16) through which all the animals, symbolizing the Church, enter so that they would not perish in the flood. He created the first woman from the man’s side as he slept (Gen 2: 22-23). She was called life (Eve) the mother of all living (Gen 3: 20). The Second Adam bowed His head and slept on the Cross so that from the side of the sleeping Man, the Bride may be formed. What is more pure than that Blood? What can grant health more than that wound?49 Saint Augustine And 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. [35] For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken.’ [36] Saint John testifies that he saw that with his own eyes, and that it happened miraculously. He affirms this because the other Evangelists do not relate this incident and because what happens here asserts Jesus Christ’s death. The Scripture is fulfilled in accordance to the promise given to all the righteous as a reference to what would be realized concerning Jesus the Righteous. Psalm 34: 20 says, “He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken.” By the Spirit, David writes, “All my bones shall say, ‘Lord, who is like You?’” (Ps 35: 10). Again, the Jews were forbidden to break any bone of the Passover lamb (Ex 12: 46; Numbers 9: 12). Our Christ is our Passover who was sacrificed for us (1 Cor 5: 7). He is the Lamb of God (Jn 1: 29) and therefore His bones were not broken. Bones, to the Hebrews, denote the strength of the body because they form the skeleton of the human being. Not breaking Christ’s bones signifies that even though the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified as in weakness, yet there is strength in His weakness. Sin breaks our bones and destroys our strength. The Psalmist David therefore says in the Psalm of repentance, “That the bones You have broken may rejoice” (Ps 51: 8). But sin could not break or crush Christ’s bones, for He stood steadfastly carrying the burden of our sins to save us. This was previously said in describing the lamb to the Jews. However, the symbol is present for the sake of the truth and has become clearer. For this reason the Evangelist quotes the Scripture in the middle of what he says. * Saint John declares loudly the required sacraments in advance. As he saw the treasure in the sacraments, he was scrupulous in relating what happened and how the prophecy was fulfilled. 48 Letter 69 to Oceanus, 6. 49 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 120: 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ “Not one of his bones is broken” (See Ex 12: 46; Ps 34: 20). This was said about the lamb of the Jews for the sake of the truth to which the symbol referred beforehand. In Him the prophecy was perfectly fulfilled. Therefore, the Evangelist quotes the prophet. Saint John introduces himself always as a witness, but if his testimony might be doubted, he introduces Moses as a witness: what happened did not lack purpose, but was rather mentioned earlier in old times.50 Saint John Chrysostom And again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced.’ [37] The Scripture speaks also concerning Him who was pierced with a spear. In the book of Zechariah the prophet, we read, “and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn” (Zech 12: 10; Rev 1: 7). We also read that He was wounded in the house of His friends (Zech 13: 6). * Those miserable people who scorned Him when they saw Him hung on the precious Cross, will look upon Him and see Him crowned with divine glory. They will go down the pit of destruction as a just punishment for their transgression concerning Him.51 Saint Cyril the Great * Once more St John supports the prophet’s words with his own testimony. I have told you those words so that you may know the great relation that exists between the symbol and the truth. Do you not see the effort he took concerning these things, and so that they may believe by comprehending through what seems shameful and disgraceful!? The soldier’s abuse of the dead body was worse than the crucifixion. However, not even through ignominy can anyone harm our cause. For, what seems to be extremely shameful is itself an extremely exalted record of the good concerns.52 Saint John Chrysostom 9 – The Burial of the Lord Jesus Christ 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. [38] As the Jewish Passover was imminent, the quick burial was necessary. The Evangelist describes the burial in an impressive manner, and as a dignified act of faith and love of two secret disciples. Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, but in his weakness he followed the Lord secretly during His service. However, at the critical moments, when the body of the Lord was hung on the cross, Joseph of Arimathea went courageously to ask Pilate to 50 Hom. 85. PG 59: 507-508. 51 Comm. On St. Luke, Hom. 145, ch. 22. 52 Hom. 85. PG 59: 508. https://coptic-treasures.com/ give him permission to take the body of Jesus. In doing this he obtained great honor. Nicodemus accompanied him. He had once come at night to the Lord, but now he was not afraid of being expelled from the Sanhedrim. If those two men had not buried Jesus, the soldiers would have buried Him with the two thieves in an old grave and His resurrection would not have been affirmed. People would have even claimed that another man had risen from the dead. * Joseph was not one of the twelve disciples. He was probably one of the seventy apostles. Saint John Chrysostom And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, Bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. [39] Myrrh and aloes are used to preserve the body for a long time. Some researchers say that a hundred pounds of that mixture would be enough to preserve two hundred dead bodies and they think this was a mistake in writing. However, this was a custom in the case of important or loved personalities. It has been said that a huge quantity of the mixture was used in the funeral of Aristobulus. It has also been said that five hundred servants carried the aloes used to preserve the body of Herod53 and eighty pounds of spices were used at the funeral of the great Gamaliel. A pound is a Greek and Roman measure equal to a hundred dirhams. * Here is myrrh for burial. The aloe juice is for crossing over to the underworld where every drop goes down. And cinnamon is provided for the body on the Cross.54 Saint Basil the Great * Your original smell is better than all spices (Song of Solomon 4: 10) used in the burial of the Savior [39]. The sweet smell flows out, when the pleasures of the body members are destroyed. But the other smell is like the smell of Lebanon (Son of Solomon 4: 11) that produces the smell of incorruption of the body of our Lord, the pure flower of virginity.55 Saint Ambrose Then 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. [40] * What does that signify, that not His disciples, but Joseph and Nicodemus are the ones who buried the Lord? One of them is good and just (Luke 23: 50) and the other has no hypocrisy. Thus Christ’s burial is done without deceit or evil. There is no room for trickery. If the apostles had buried Him, the Jews would have said, those certainly never buried Him. But a just man wrapped Christ’s body in costly linen (Matt 27: 59; Luke 23: 53) and an honest man anointed Him with spices. Therefore, what happened did not lack purpose, for, righteousness envelops the Church, and innocence serves grace. 53 Josephus, b15 c.3, s.14, b17, c.8.s.c. 54 Hom. 17, Ps. 44: 7, Exegetie Homilies in Fathers of the Church vol 46, p. 290. 55 Concerning Virgins 1: 7: 39. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Cover the body of the Lord, the Church, with garments and anoint Him with myrrh and spices, so that the Church may become to God the fragrance of Christ (2 Cor 2: 15). Joseph brought expensive linen. That may have been what Peter saw descending from heaven and in it all kinds of animals, a symbol of the Gentiles (Acts 10: 11-12). The Church is thus wrapped, linking a variety of people in partaking of their faith in that pure fragrant mystery.56 Saint Ambrose * I believe there was no lack of purpose in saying, “as the custom of the Jews is to bury” [40]. For, if I am not mistaken, by saying this he urges us to practice such service for the dead in accordance to the custom of our country. 57 Saint Augustine 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. [41] Christ’s body was buried in a new tomb that Joseph of Arimathea had prepared in a garden he owned outside the city near Golgotha where Christ was crucified. Joseph did not expect that in that tomb the Lord Jesus Christ would be buried. In a garden, the Lord had bowed His head to joyfully deliver His will up into the hands of the Father and be carried to the cross. In that garden He was arrested, and in a garden the Lord rose from the dead to announce that through His suffering and death He has defeated death and has granted the resurrection. In the garden was buried the grain of wheat about which the Lord Jesus Christ had spoken (Jn 12: 24) and it produced thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold. In the garden, the Lord let the streams of life flow (Song of Solomon 4: 15). The tomb was new and the Lord rose from it while the stone was rolled over it as its door. Just as He was born of a virgin He rose from a virgin tomb. Everything concerning Him, even the tomb, was new so that He may grant us a new life. * In that garden, I sang to My Bride, in the Song of Solomon, “I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse” (5: 1). For the place where He was crucified was a garden. What did He take from there? “I have gathered my myrrh with my spice” for He drank myrrh with vinegar. After that He said, “It is finished” because the mystery was accomplished, the Scripture was fulfilled, and the sins were forgiven. “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most High Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ…cleanse your conscience” (Hebrews 9: 11-14).58 56 Exposition, 10: 136, 137. 57 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 120: 4. 58 Article 13: 32. https://coptic-treasures.com/ * Again He says in the Song of Solomon, “I went down into the garden of nuts” (6: 11) for He was crucified in a garden. For though that place is now decorated with royal gifts, yet it was a garden and the landmarks and traces still exist. He is “a garden enclosed…a fountain sealed” (Song of Solomon 4: 12). The following was written about the Jews who said, “we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore command that the tomb be made secure” and “So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard” (Matt 27: 63-64, 66).59 * He was buried in a garden where a vine was planted for He said, “I am the true vine” (Jn 15: 1). He was planted in the earth so that He may pluck out the curse that happened because of Adam. For the earth then brought forth thorns and thistles. The vine sprang out of the earth so that the words of the Psalm may be fulfilled: “Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven” (Ps 85: 11). What does He who was buried in the garden say? He says, “I have gathered my myrrh with my spice” (Song of Solomon) and “myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices (4: 14). These are the signs of burial as is recorded in the Gospels, “certain other women with them came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared” (Luke 24: 1); “And Nicodemus…also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes” (Jn 19: 39). It is also written, “I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey” (Song of Solomon 5: 1) for He ate myrrh before crucifixion and honey after the resurrection.60 Saint Cyril of Jerusalem * Just as no one before or after Him was born of the Virgin Mary, likewise no one before or after Him was buried in this tomb.61 Saint Augustine So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, For the tomb was nearby. [42] There was no funeral service for the Lord Jesus Christ because He was crucified, rejected by His people, and because there was no time and therefore the burial had to be in a hurry before sunset. The Sun of righteousness was buried at sunset and it was impossible for the tomb to imprison His light. Darkness could not control Him. The soldiers stood guard lest He should rise and proclaim that He paid our debt, His sacrifice for us was accepted, and that He justified us before the Father. However, the soldiers’ watch became a testimony of the truth of His resurrection. This conduct (the quick burial) shows that His resurrection was not in anybody’s mind in spite of the continuous references to it before His crucifixion. The burial took place in this manner because there was no time and there was no tomb prepared for Him. No one thought of burying Him in the family cemetery because the sun was about to set and it was difficult for the 59 Article 14: 5. 60 Article 14: 11. 61 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 120: 5. https://coptic-treasures.com/ family to prepare for burial especially in such bitter circumstances. This is from the human point of view. However, concerning the divine dispensation, everything was amazingly arranged. Thus, Isaiah foretold this seven hundred years beforehand when he said, “And he made his grave…with the rich in his death” (Is 53: 9). * It was arranged that the body of the Lord was laid in a new tomb in which no one was buried before, so that nobody might think that there was another buried with Him who rose from the dead. Also this enabled His disciples to come to the tomb and see what happened, for the tomb was nearby. Saint John Chrysostom Meditations Inspired by the Gospel of St John Chapter Nineteen With You I Am Judged, and with You I Am Crucified + They led You to the court of justice, You O Judge of all! Your presence sanctified the tribunal Acceptance of injustice For Your love and Your children’s love became my spirit’s pleasure! You remained silent before Pilate who was therefore troubled. You declared to him that Your kingdom was not of this world So Pilate wanted to know who You are. They released Barabbas the robber And You, O Righteous, were crucified. Yes, You opened the gates of captivity And released my spirit from prison. + I shall go out with You to Golgotha. In the act of Your cross I find honor I do not deserve. I look at Your crown of thorns And I see that You are preparing for me a crown of eternal glory. + The road to Golgotha has become a royal road Who deserves to cross it To enter with You to Your heavenly glory? + You carried the wooden cross to carry all mankind who believe in You. In Your wonderful love You thirst for all mankind They gave You vinegar to drink, So that You may give us to drink the river of life in Jerusalem above You bowed Your head and gave Your spirit up into the hands of Your Father So that You may raise our heads before Your Father And glorify our spirits and bodies! https://coptic-treasures.com/ + They pierced Your side with a spear and blood and water came out! Your blood sanctified me entirely And through the water You granted me the Spirit of prophecy to the Father + In Your crucifixion You were numbered with the transgressors So that You may declare that You are the Savior of sinners. In Your death You were buried in the grave of a rich man You are the lover of sinners for their justification You gather the poor and the rich You are the lover of mankind. + They buried You in a garden Because the first Adam died in the garden And in the garden You have come to restore life to us once more!. Amen
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