{"author":null,"canonical_references":[],"database_sha256":"8cfbe7284c6936871d57c02dc6aa63ebbdfd4722422d539dd9f716e46e91112e","date_end":null,"date_start":null,"edition_year":null,"id":"sermonindex-ecf-44","native_reference":{"book_number":530,"chapter_from":1,"chapter_to":1,"system":"MyBible module coordinates (mapping unverified)","verse_from":18,"verse_to":18},"public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"verse-keyed-module-record","review_required":["English edition and exact text","author/work attribution","dating","verse mapping and citation kind","reuse and attribution","split author quotations and deduplicate"],"review_status":"unreviewed","source_html":"<p><b>Ignatius of Antioch</b>: My spirit bows in adoration to the cross, which is a stumbling-block to those who do not believe, but is to you for salvation and eternal life.<br/><i>— Second Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians (Syriac)</i></p><p><b>Irenaeus ((Reporting Valentinian Views))</b>: They show, further, that that Horos of theirs, whom they call by a variety of names, has two faculties,-the one of supporting, and the other of separating; and in so far as he supports and sustains, he is Stauros, while in so far as he divides and separates, he is Horos. They then represent the Saviour as having indicated this twofold faculty: first, the sustaining power, when He said, \"Whosoever doth not bear his cross (Stauros), and follow after me, cannot be my disciple;\" and again, \"Taking up the cross follow me;\" but the separating power when He said, \"I came not to send peace, but a word.\" They also maintain that John indicated the same thing when he said, \"The fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge the floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable.\" By this declaration He set forth the faculty of Horos. For that fan they explain to be the cross (Stauros), which consumes, no doubt, all material objects, as fire does chaff, but it purifies all them that are saved, as a fan does wheat. Moreover, they affirm that the Apostle Paul himself made mention of this cross in the following words: \"The doctrine of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.\" And again: \"God forbid that I should glory in anything save in the cross of Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world.\"<br/><i>— Against Heresies (Book I, Chapter 3)</i></p><p><b>John Chrysostom</b>: To the sick and gasping even wholesome meats are unpleasant, friends and relations burdensome; who are often times not even recognized, but are rather accounted intruders. Much like this often is the case of those who are perishing in their souls. For the things which tend to salvation they know not; and those who are careful about them they consider to be troublesome. Now this ensues not from the nature of the thing, but from their disease. And just what the insane do, hating those who take care of them, and besides reviling them, the same is the case with unbelievers also. But as in the case of the former, they who are insulted then more than ever compassionate them, and weep, taking this as the worst symptom of the disease in its intense form, when they know not their best friends; so also in the case of the Gentiles let us act; yea more than for our wives let us wail over them, because they know not the common salvation. For not so dearly ought a man to love his wife as we should love all men, and draw them over unto salvation; be a man a Gentile, or be he what he may. For these then let us weep; for \"the word of the Cross is to them foolishness,\" being itself Wisdom and Power. For, saith he, \"the word of the Cross to them that perish is foolishness.\"</p><p>For since it was likely that they, the Cross being derided by the Greeks, would resist and contend by aid of that wisdom, which came (forsooth) of themselves, as being disturbed by the expression of the Greeks; Paul comforting them saith, think it not strange and unaccountable, which is taking place. This is the nature of the thing, that its power is not recognized by them that perish. For they are beside themselves, and behave as madmen; and so they rail and are disgusted at the medicines which bring health.<br/><i>— Homily on 1 Corinthians 4</i></p><p><b>John Chrysostom</b>: But what sayest thou, O man? Christ became a slave for thee. \"having taken the form of a slave,\" and was crucified, and rose again. And when thou oughtest for this reason to adore Him risen and admire His loving kindness; because what neither father, nor friend, nor son, did for thee, all this the Lord wrought for thee, the enemy and offender-when, I say, thou oughtest to admire Him for these things, callest thou that foolishness, which is full of so great wisdom? Well, it is nothing wonderful; for it is a mark of them that perish not to recognize the things which lead to salvation. Be not troubled, therefore, for it is no strange nor unaccountable event, that things truly great are mocked at by those who are beside themselves. Now such as are in this mind you cannot convince by human wisdom. Nay, if you want so to convince them, you do but the contrary. For the things which transcend reasoning require faith alone. Thus, should we set about convincing men by reasonings, how God became man, and entered into the Virgin's womb, and not commit the matter unto faith, they will but deride the more. Therefore they who inquire by reasonings, it is they who perish.</p><p>And why speak I of God? for in regard of created things, should we do this, great derision will ensue. For suppose a man, wishing to make out all things by reasoning; and let him try by thy discourse to convince himself how we see the light; and do thou try to convince him by reasoning, Nay, thou canst not: for if thou sayest that it suffices to see by opening the eyes, thou hast not expressed the manner, but the fact. For \"why see we not,\" one will say, \"with our hearing, and with our eyes hear? And why hear we not with the nostril, and with the hearing smell?\" If then, he being in doubt about these things, and we unable to give the explanation of them, he is to begin laughing, shall not we rather laugh him to scorn? \"For since both have their origin from one brain, since the two members are near neighbors to each other, why can they not do the same work?\" Now we shall not be able to state the cause nor the method of the unspeakable and curious operation; and should we make the attempt, we should be laughed to scorn. Wherefore, leaving this unto God's power and boundless wisdom, let us be silent.</p><p>Just so with regard to the things of God; should we desire to explain them by the wisdom which is from without, great derision will ensue, not from their infirmity, but from the folly of men. For the great things of all no language can explain.<br/><i>— Homily on 1 Corinthians 4</i></p><p><b>John Chrysostom</b>: Now observe: when I say, \"He was crucified;\" the Greek saith, \"And how can this be reasonable? Himself He helped not when undergoing crucifixion and sore trial at the moment of the Cross: how then after these things did He rise again and help others? For if He had been able, before death was the proper time to display His power: and actually in the midst of horrors He should have shewn Himself above all horrors; and being in the enemy's hold should have overcome; this cometh of Infinite Power. For as in the case of the fish, to suffer no harm from the monster, than if he had not been swallowed at all;-so also in regard of Christ; His not dying would not have been so inconceivable, as that having died He should loose the bands of death. Say not then, \"why did He not help Himself on the Cross?\" for he was hastening on to close conflict with death himself. He descended not from the Cross, not because He could not, but because He would not. For Him Whom the tyranny of death restrained not, how could the nails of the Cross restrain?</p><p>But these things, though known to us, are not so as yet to the unbelievers. Wherefore he said that \"the word of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us who are saved it is the power of God.\"<br/><i>— Homily on 1 Corinthians 4</i></p><p><b>Origen of Alexandria</b>: Who was capable of destroying the plague of ignorance, darkness and destruction? Not a prophet, nor an apostle, nor any other righteous man. Rather there had to be a divine power coming down from heaven, capable of dying on behalf of us all, so that by his death there might be a defense against the devil.<br/><i>— COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 1.6.8-12</i></p><p><b>Tertullian</b>: Now, both the people (of Israel) by their transgression of His laws, and the whole race of mankind by their neglect of natural duty, had both sinned and rebelled against the Creator. Marcion's god, however, could not have been offended, both because he was unknown to everybody, and because he is incapable of being irritated. What grace, therefore, can be had of a god who has not been offended? What peace from one who has never experienced rebellion? \"The cross of Christ,\" he says, \"is to them that perish foolishness; but unto such as shall obtain salvation, it is the power of God and the wisdom of God.\" And then, that we may known from whence this comes, he adds: \"For it is written, `I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.' \" Now, since these are the Creator's words, and since what pertains to the doctrine of the cross he accounts as foolishness, therefore both the cross, and also Christ by reason of the cross, will appertain to the Creator, by whom were predicted the incidents of the cross.<br/><i>— Against Marcion Book V</i></p>","source_html_sha256":"c1baaea35f02c80e870ce674f76eed710217f7d575a009260c237b0c34013c6b","source_module":"ECF","source_row_id":44,"source_url":"https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/ecf/","text_sha256":"7de8d291b87a7eeda05fd6eb7cc66f7e7baf03fb680aeed532e19827d427ec9f","translator":null,"work":null}