Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

⁴ You know it, dearly Beloved; call to mind the parable of the Gospel, how that the Lord came in to inspect the guests at a certain feast of His. The Master of the house who had invited them, as it is written, “found there a man which had not on a wedding garment.” For to the marriage had that Bridegroom invited them who is “fair in beauty above the children of men.” That Bridegroom became deformed because of His deformed spouse, that he might make her fair. How did the Fair One become deformed?

If I do not prove it, I am blaspheming. The testimony of his fair beauty the Prophet gives me, who says, “You are fair in beauty above the children of men.” The testimony of his deformity another Prophet gives me, who says, “We saw Him, and He had no grace, nor beauty; but His countenance was marred, and His whole look deformed.” O Prophet, who said, “You are fair in beauty above the children of men;” you are contradicted; another Prophet comes out against you, and says, “You speak falsely.

We have seen Him. What is this that you say, 'You are fair in beauty above the children of men? We have seen Him, and He had no grace nor beauty.'” Are then these two Prophets at disagreement in the Cornerstone of peace? Both spoke of Christ, both spoke of the Cornerstone. In the corner the walls unite. If they do not unite, it is not a building, but a ruin. No, the Prophets agree, let us not leave them in strife. Yea, rather let us understand their peace; for they know not how to strive.

O Prophet, who said, “You are fair in beauty above the children of men;” where did you see Him? Answer me, answer where did you see Him? “Being in the form of God, He thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” There I saw Him. Do you doubt that He who is “equal with God” is “fair in beauty above the children of men”? You have answered; now let him answer who said, “We saw Him, and He had no grace, nor beauty.” You have said so; tell us where did you see Him? He begins from the other's words; where the other ended, there he begins.

Where did he end? “Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” Lo, where he saw Him who was “fair in beauty above the children of men;” do thou tell us, where you saw that “He had no grace nor beauty. But He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and found in fashion as a man.” Of His deformity he still further says; “He humbled Himself, having become obedient unto death even the death of the cross.” Lo, where I saw Him. Therefore are they both in peaceful concord, both are at peace together. What is more “fair” than God? What more “deformed” than the Crucified?