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This Part: 115 Pages
Page 46
That they might therefore be aware both that He foreknew His passion, and though it was in his power easily to escape, that yet of His own will He advanced to meet it, He told them beforehand what would happen. In saying then, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem," He, so to speak, testified urgently and commanded them to remember what had been foretold. And He added necessarily, that all these things had been foretold by the holy prophets. For Isaiah, as in the person of Christ, says; "I have given My back to scourgings, and My cheeks to buffetings: and My face I have not turned away from the shame of spittings." And again, in another place, He says of Him, "As a sheep He was led to the slaughter, and was silent, as a lamb before its shearer." And again, "All we like sheep have gone astray: every one has gone astray in his path: and the Lord has delivered Him up because of our sins." And again the blessed David also in the twenty-first [1] Psalm, painting as it were beforehand the sufferings upon the cross, has set before us Jesus speaking as one that lo! already was hanging upon the tree, "But I am a worm, and not a man: the reproach of men, and a thing rejected of the people. All those that have seen Me, have derided Me: they have spoken with their lips, and shaken their heads; He trusted in the Lord: let Him deliver Him." For some of the Jews did shake their wicked heads at Him, deriding Him, and saying, "If You are the Son of God, come down now from the cross, and we will believe You." And again He said, "They parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture they cast the lot." And again in another place He says of those that crucified Him, "They gave gall for My food, and for My thirst they made Me drink vinegar."
Of all therefore that was about to happen to Him, nothing was unforetold, God having so ordered it by His Providence for our use, that when the time came for it to happen, no one might be offended. For it was in the power of one Who knew beforehand what was about to happen, to refuse to suffer altogether. No man then compelled Him by force, nor again were the multitudes of the Jews stronger than His might: but He submitted to suffer, because He knew that His passion would be for the salvation of the whole world. For He endured indeed the death of the flesh, but rose again, having trampled upon corruption, and by His resurrection from the dead, He planted in the bodies of mankind the life that springs from Him. For the whole nature of man in Him hastened back to incorruption. And of this the wise Paul bears witness, saying, at one time, "For since by man was death, by man was also the resurrection of the dead." And again. "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all live." Let not those therefore who crucified Him indulge in pride: for He remained not among the dead, seeing that as God He possesses an irresistible might: but rather let them lament for themselves, as being guilty of the crime of murdering the Lord. This the Saviour also is found saying to the women who were weeping for Him, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children." For it was not right that they should lament for Him, Who was about to arise from the dead, destroying thereby corruption, and shaking death's dominion; but more fitly, on the contrary, would they lament over their own afflictions.
The Saviour of all then declared these things beforehand to the holy apostles: "but they, it says, understood not what was said, and the word was hidden from them." For as yet they knew not accurately what had been before proclaimed by the holy prophets. For even He Who was first among the disciples heard the Saviour once say that He should be crucified, and die; and arise: but in that he did not as yet understand the depth of the mystery, he resisted it, saying, "That be far from You, Lord: this shall not be to You." But he was rebuked for so speaking: because he as yet knew not the purport of the Scripture inspired of God relating thereunto. But when Christ arose from the dead, He opened their eyes, as another of the holy Evangelists wrote; for they wore enlightened, being enriched with the abundant participation of the Spirit. For they who once understood not the words of the prophets, exhorted those who believed in Christ to study their words, saying, "We too have a more sure prophetic word, whereunto you do well to look, as to a lamp that shines in a dark place, until the day shine forth, and the light-star arise in your hearts." And this has also reached its fulfilment: for we have been enlightened in Christ; by Whom and with Whom to God the Father be praise and dominion, with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever, Amen.
1.[p] In the Septuagint, the ninth and tenth Psalms are incorporated into one, and therefore all the subsequent Psalms are numbered one less than in our version.
Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/cyril-alexandria/luke-commentary-3.asp?pg=46
