3. Let us then not be ashamed of the Cross
of our Saviour, but rather glory in it. For the word of the
Cross is unto Jews a stumbling-block, and unto Gentiles
foolishness, but to us salvation: and to them that are
perishing it is foolishness, but unto us which are being saved it is
the power of God 1 Cor. i. 18, 23.. For it was
not a mere man who died for us, as I said before, but the Son of God,
God made man. Further; if the lamb under Moses drove the
destroyer Ex. xii. 23. far away, did not
much rather the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the
world John i. 29., deliver us from
our sins? The blood of a silly sheep gave salvation; and shall
not the Blood of the Only-begotten much rather save? If any
disbelieve the power of the Crucified, let him ask the devils; if any
believe not words, let him believe what he sees. Many have been
crucified throughout the world, but by none of these are the devils
scared; but when they see even the Sign of the Cross of Christ, who was
crucified for us, they shudder Cf. Cat. i. 3; xvii.
35, 36.. For those
men died for their own sins, but Christ for the sins of others; for He
did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth 1
Pet. ii. 22, quoted from Isa. liii. 9.. It is not Peter who says this, for
then we might suspect that he was partial to his Teacher; but it is
Esaias who says it, who was not indeed present with Him in the flesh,
but in the Spirit foresaw His coming in the flesh. Yet why now
bring the Prophet only as a witness? take for a witness Pilate himself,
who gave sentence upon Him, saying, I find no fault in this
Man Luke xxiii. 14.: and when he
gave Him up, and had washed his hands, he said, I am innocent of the
blood of this just person Matt. xxvii. 24.. There is yet
another witness of the sinlessness of Jesus,—the robber, the
first man admitted into Paradise; who rebuked his fellow, and said,
“We receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath
done nothing amiss Luke xxiii. 41. Cf. Cat. xiii. 30, 31. The
Benedictine Editor remarks, “We know not whence Cyril took the
notion that the two robbers were present at the trial of
Jesus.” He may have inferred from the words ἐν
τῷ αὐτῷ
κρίματι that the sentence of
crucifixion was pronounced on them at the same time as on Jesus.; for we were
present, both thou and I, at His judgment.”