12. But perchance with the fearfulness of
human ignorance, He feared the very power of death, which He possessed;
so, though He died of His own accord, He feared because He was to
die. If any think so, let them ask “To which was death
terrible, to His Spirit or to His body?” If to His body,
are they ignorant that the Holy One should not see corruption Ps. xv. 10., that within three days He was to revive
the temple of His body St. John ii. 19; St. Matt. xxvi. 16, xxvii. 40; St.
Mark xiv. 58.? But if
death was terrible to His Spirit, should Christ fear the abyss of hell,
while Lazarus was rejoicing in Abraham’s bosom? It is
foolish and absurd, that He should fear death, Who could lay down His
soul, and take it up again, Who, to fulfil the mystery of human life,
was about to die of His own free will. He cannot fear death Whose
power and purpose in dying is to die but for a moment: fear is
incompatible with willingness to die, and the power to live again, for
both of these rob death of his terrors.