Coptic homilies in the dialect of Upper Egypt/Sermon 6
LIKEWISE A HOMILY PRONOUNCED BY PROKLOS, BISHOP OF CYZICUS, IN THE CHURCH OF ANTHEMIUS IN CONSTANTINOPLE, ON THE SUNDAY BEFORE EASTER, WHEN HE WAS INSTALLED IN THE ARCHIEPISCOPAL SEAT, AND NESTORIUS THE HERETIC WAS PRESENT.
May the precious miracle of our Saviour overcome our [halting] speech, and may the utterance of words of great weight vanquish our tongue this day in respect of this miracle, for otherwise we will not attain to the capacity for preaching, according to its true value, the goodness of Him Whom they crucified for our sakes. For what is there which has ever happened that is like unto that which we now see by faith? Moreover, what mind has ever existed which has been able to think it out as it really is? Or what understanding has ever been able to reason it out? Or what heart has ever been able to depict it to itself? Or what power of speech has ever described it? Or what eye has ever seen it? Or what ear has ever heard the report of such a miracle as this, and of such love, that is to say, of Christ Who took upon Himself flesh in very truth, and bestowed upon us the blessing of life?
Never before did the sun look upon one hanging on the wood of the cross, who was so shamefully slandered as was He or our sakes. Never before did the sun see any one purchasing our nature under a curse. Never before was the redemption of the world sold for thirty [pieces] of silver. [1] Never before did there exist passion and death, which were without sin, in the smelting furnace of sin. Never before was one who was without a father, according to the flesh, condemned to death by the governor. Never before was there one who was hung upon the tree to draw every one to him, and to give life unto them. Never before did the tomb receive into it a dead body which had plundered death. Never before did the heavens become dark as night at mid-day, [as they did] through Him, in order that they might not see the tragedy which they dared to act in respect of God, for they presumed to touch His flesh. Never before did Hades quake as it did when it swallowed Him up. Never before was the earth made beautiful by a sepulchre which contained life; it was, however, no sepulchre, but rather a bridal bed. He Whom they buried therein did not suffer corruption; on the contrary, He Who went down into it became a bridegroom. Never before has any natural man passed three days and three nights in the earth, and risen up therefrom, except Him Who of Himself fashioned the temple of His Body in the womb of the Virgin, according to that which He knew, He it was Who rose on the third day. He raised up the temple, He lifted it up, by His will through death, and He made manifest the Resurrection through the birth-pangs of the Virgin.
Now in this place (i. e., world) time follows after begetting, but in this place (i. e., world) he who prevails is he who preaches at all times in haste. No lamb which could have been offered up on the altar could ever have carried away the sins of the world, except at that time when God took the form of a servant. And He fashioned an ineffable body for Himself, and He clothed Himself therewith ; now this was His flesh, the life. His blood is the redemption. The Spirit is the seal. The nature of God is without beginning.
Well therefore has the blessed Paul said, ' Old things have departed; behold, new things exist.' [The now heaven,] that is to say, He Who has come down from it (i.e., heaven) has blessed our coming thereto. The new earth : He Who was laid in a manger. He purified it through the flesh wherein He was placed. The new sea, which is vast and deep : the feet of men of flesh do not pass over it, neither is it contaminated by sin. The new life : this is He Who has made war to cease from Him, and [the life] is full and made perfect in peace.
The new humanity : this is that which has washed itself and cleansed itself in water, and has smelted itself a second time in the furnace of the Holy Spirit. The new worship : this is not the savour of sacrifice a second time, neither is it circumcision, but it is the worshipping by faith, and the glorifying of One Substance in Three Persons.
These things are they which the prophet preached unto us saying, ' In that day God will make Himself manifest in counsel and in glory upon the earth.' [2] In what clay? Declare you unto us, O prophet. He says, ' In that day wherein God, Who is over all nature, will take upon Himself co ' flesh of a woman, according to that which He knows. The Virgin will bring forth by ineffable mystery, without a husband, a Man, and a Lover of men, Who will not change. He will make death to vomit me forth, this [death] which has swallowed me up, which I know not. His tomb will be the treasury of the Resurrection. And the captivity of man He will make to be the mother of freedom. And why should I multiply words? Passion belongs to my flesh, but power belongs to divinity.'
But declare unto us, O you prophet, in what manner will God make Himself manifest on the earth? I Will it be without [His] manhood? Will it be without [His] flesh?
' Get you hence, O heretic, and speak not of this, for I will not declare [the matter] unto you,' [says] the prophet. ' If God were to appear without this, I speak of the flesh, O you new and vain dogmatizer, neither your face, nor your eye, would be able to bear His light. And creation could not clothe herself with [her covering of] nature; the mighty Devil would not be able to go against Him to fight with Him. for he would quake before the Creator. Death would not dare to swallow up the indestructible nature of God, and Hades would be in abject terror of God if He were naked in respect of the flesh. The Seraphim would not be able to gaze upon Him, and how would it be possible for Hades not to quake?
' Now the nature of God had need of a hood (or, covering), not in order to clothe itself (I speak of the indestructible nature of His Divinity) but in order that we might not be struck dumb at the sight of Him. It was not a covering like unto that of Moses, [3] for that was a covering of the darkness which was ignorance. It was not a curtain which was made by cunning weavers, for its beauty was not due to a mixture of many colours. It was not [like unto] the covering of the mercy seat, [4] which was interwoven with gold, for its beauty was not derived from a material substance. It was not [the work of] the Cherubim, neither was it wrought by the hand of man; for the cunning handiwork thereof was marvellous. Now the sheep has need of a covering [of wool], in order that it may be guarded by it from the wolf which eats man.
Now the new Jew has also attacked my words, and has scoffed at the words of great import of the prophet, and has contended against the Holy Spirit. And what did he say? [He says,] ( I do not believe that God appeared upon the earth, or that He Who has no form has taken shape in the similitude of a man.' But if you deride the Law, O Jew, and if you will not hearken to the Prophets, and if you will treat with contumely the Evangelists, and if you will pervert the words of the Apostles, let us then enquire of the Elements, and let us learn from them what they have to confess concerning Cod Who died in the flesh, and Who He is. Come now, first of all let us enquire of the sun. Tell us, O Sun : For what reason didst you withdraw to yourself your rays when the Lord was crucified? Why was it? Was it because He Whom they crucified was an ordinary man? If this be so, you should have done the same when they slew Abel, the righteous man. [5]
I will also enquire of heaven. Tell us, O Heaven : For what reason didst you clothe yourself with darkness at the hour of noon? Was it because the Jews pierced the side of the Lord? Or was it because He Whom they crucified for us was an ordinary man? If He was, why did you not understand [and do the same] when they stoned Naboth[6]hthe Israelite?
[I will also enquire of the earth.] Tell us, O Earth : For what reason didst you quake when these fighters against God committed this abominable deed of presumption? Was it because He Whom they crucified was an ordinary man? If He was, why didst you not quake when they sawed Isaiah [ See Epiphanius, Be Proplietarum Vitis (Migne, Pahologiae Cursus, Ser. Gr., torn. 43, cols. 415-427). ] asunder by [the command of] Manasseh?
Let us enquire also of the temple. Tell us, O Temple : For what reason was the veil of the temple rent in twain when they crucified Christ? Was it because He Whom they crucified was an ordinary man? If He was, why were not you brought to the ground when they poured out in the midst of you the blood of Zecharias? [7]
And now, all creation which is without speech makes its defence before us, and says : 'Did we not proclaim our grief for the Creator, Who was not a fellow-servant with us, Who had been condemned to death? nay, but we were sorely moved, and we trembled with fear at the dishonour [which was shown] to God.' For Heaven cried out saying, ' He Whom they crucified in the flesh is God Who took upon Himself flesh. This I know of a certainty, for Heaven says, ' I am the Heaven which He bowed, and He came down.' [8] The Sun cried out saying, 'It is my Lord, the Jesus Whom they have crucified in the flesh. I, even I, was afraid of the splendour of His Divinity, and I withdrew into myself my rays of light.' The Earth also cried out saying, ' The Creator Who has taken upon Himself flesh is He Whom they have crucified in the flesh.' It says also, 'Now though I took His flesh into my bosom when He was in the manger, I could not include within my dominion His Divinity.' The Sea cried out saying, 'He
Whom they have crucified in the flesh is not my fellow-servant. The footsteps of my fellow-servant [Peter] did indeed press upon my back, but the feet of my Lord made pure (or, sanctified) my nature.' [9] The Temple cried out saying, ' He Whom they worshipped in me from the beginning is He Whom they have treated with contumely in the flesh. Because I was unable to bear so great and so presumptuous a deed, I rent my raiment.' Hades cried out saying, ' It was not an ordinary man who came down into my domain, for' it says, ' I know what suffering I received. He Whom I took in as a captive I found to be one Who was stronger than everything else (i. e., the Almighty).
But if you will not believe the Elements, let us, then, inquire of the Powers which are in the heavens. Tell us, O ye Angels, and Archangels, and all ye Hosts which are in the heavens, Who is He Who appeared upon the earth? Who is He Whom they crucified in the flesh? And they all make answer, and cry out with the prophet David, [10] ' The Lord of Might, He is the King of Glory.' unto Whom belong the Glory and the Power for [all] ages. Amen.