{"author":null,"canonical_references":[],"database_sha256":"8cfbe7284c6936871d57c02dc6aa63ebbdfd4722422d539dd9f716e46e91112e","date_end":null,"date_start":null,"edition_year":null,"id":"sermonindex-ecf-6729","native_reference":{"book_number":650,"chapter_from":8,"chapter_to":8,"system":"MyBible module coordinates (mapping unverified)","verse_from":3,"verse_to":3},"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>Athanasius of Alexandria</b>: I am very much surprised how they have ventured to entertain the idea that the Word became man in consequence of his nature. For, if this were so, the commemoration of Mary would be superfluous. For nature has no conception of a virgin bearing apart from a man. By the good pleasure of the Father, being true God, and Word and Wisdom of the Father by nature, he became man in the body for our salvation in order that, having something to offer for us he might save us all, \"as many as through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.\" For it was not some man that gave himself up for us; since every man is under sentence of death, according to what was said to all in Adam, \"earth you are and unto earth you shall return.\" Nor yet was it any other of the creatures, since every creature is liable to change. But the Word himself offered his own body on our behalf that our faith and hope might not be in man, but that we might have our faith in God the Word himself.<br/><i>— LETTER 61, TO MAXIMUS 3</i></p><p><b>Augustine of Hippo</b>: They do not understand, that not even the proudest of spirits themselves could rejoice in the honor of sacrifices, unless a true sacrifice was due to the one true God, in whose stead they desire to be worshipped: and that this cannot be rightly offered except by a holy and righteous priest; nor unless that which is offered be received from those for whom it is offered; and unless also it be without fault, so that it may be offered for cleansing the faulty. This at least all desire who wish sacrifice to be offered for themselves to God. Who then is so righteous and holy a priest as the only Son of God, who had no need to purge His own sins by sacrifice, neither original sins, nor those which are added by human life? And what could be so fitly chosen by men to be offered for them as human flesh? And what so fit for this immolation as mortal flesh? And what so clean for cleansing the faults of mortal men as the flesh born in and from the womb of a virgin, without any infection of carnal concupiscence? And what could be so acceptably offered and taken, as the flesh of our sacrifice, made the body of our priest? In such wise that, whereas four things are to be considered in every sacrifice,—to whom it is offered, by whom it is offered, what is offered, for whom it is offered,—the same One and true Mediator Himself, reconciling us to God by the sacrifice of peace, might remain one with Him to whom He offered, might make those one in Himself for whom He offered, Himself might be in one both the offerer and the offering.<br/><i>— ON THE TRINITY 4.14.19</i></p><p><b>John Chrysostom</b>: In the next place that thou mayest understand that he used the word \"minister\" of the manhood, observe how he again indicates it: \"For\" (he says) \"every high priest is ordained to offer both gifts and sacrifices, wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.\"</p><p>Do not now, because thou hearest that He sitteth, suppose that His being called High Priest is mere idle talk. For the former, viz. His sitting, belongs to the dignity of the Godhead, but this to His great lovingkindness, and His tender care for us. On this account he repeatedly urges this very thing, and dwells more upon it: for he feared lest the other truth should overthrow it. That is, lest the belief of His Godhead should undermine our belief in His true manhood. Therefore he again brings down his discourse to this: since some were enquiring why He died. He was a Priest. But there is no Priest without a sacrifice. It is necessary then that He also should have a sacrifice.<br/><i>— Homily on Hebrews 14</i></p><p><b>Oecumenius</b>: \"For every high priest.\" For he says, it is proper for the high priests to offer gifts and sacrifices (for this is why they are established), it is necessary for the Christ also to offer something, I mean sacrifices. Therefore, he took on his own flesh, which he also offered. He said this, so that no one would say, If he is a high priest forever, why did he die? Why? So that he might offer himself as a sacrifice. For without sacrifices, he would not even be a high priest.<br/>\"thus it is necessary for this one also to have something to offer.\" Such as Christ.<br/><i>— The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews</i></p><p><b>Theodoret of Cyrus</b>: It is proper for a high priest to offer gifts to the God of all. For this reason, the only begotten, when he was made man and assumed our nature, offered it for us.<br/><i>— INTERPRETATION OF Hebrews 8.3</i></p>","source_html_sha256":"c76f062a8397c6083da2fe6e34695224d5ac851814ffc7b097827f4b19de8761","source_module":"ECF","source_row_id":6729,"source_url":"https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/ecf/","text_sha256":"b2e5954375eb38a420dfecfa39f1b45c0b8af37945799f6055060756355467bd","translator":null,"work":null}