Homilies on Second Corinthians

What then means this, “Now I know?” The Syriac has, “Now you have made known;” that is, to men. For I knew of old, even before all those commandments. And why, to men even, “now?” for were not those acts enough to prove his mind was right toward God? They were enough indeed, but this one so much greater than them all that they appear nothing beside it. As exalting then this good work and showing its superiority to all, He so spoke. For of things which exceed and surpass all that went before, most men are wont to speak so: for instance, if one receive from another a gift greater than any former one, he often says, “Now I know that such an one loves me,” not hereby meaning that he knew not in the time past, but as intending to declare what is now given to be greater than all. So also God, speaking after the manner of men, says, “Now I know,” intending only to mark the exceeding greatness of the exploit; not that He “then” came to know either his fear or the greatness of it. For when He says, “Come, let Us go down and see,” He says it not as needing to go down, (for He both fills all things and knows all things certainly,) but to teach us not to give sentence lightly. And when He says, “The Lord looked down from Heaven:” it describes His perfect knowledge by a metaphor taken from men. So also here He says, “Now I know,” to declare this to be greater than all which had preceded it. Of this itself too He furnishes proof by adding, Because you spared not your son, your well-beloved, for My sake; He says not “your son” only, but yet more, “your well-beloved.” For it was not nature only, but also parental fondness, which having both by natural disposition and by the great goodness of his child, he yet dared in him to spurn. And if about worthless children parents are not easily indifferent, but mourn even for them; when it is his son, his only-begotten, and his well-beloved, even Isaac, and the father himself is on the point of immolating him; who can describe the excessiveness of such philosophy? This exploit outshines thousands of diadems and crowns innumerable. For the wearer of that crown, both death ofttimes assails and annoys, and before death, assaults of circumstances without number; but this diadem shall no one have strength to take from him that wears it; no not even after death; neither of his own household, nor of strangers. And let me point you out the costliest stone in this diadem. For as a costly stone, so this comes at the end and clasps it. What then is this? The words, “for My sake?” for not herein is the marvel, that he spared not, but that it was “for His sake.”

Oh! blessed right hand, of what a knife was it accounted worthy? Oh! Wondrous knife, of what a right hand was it accounted worthy? Oh! Wondrous knife, for what a purpose was it prepared? To what an office did it serve? To what a type did it minister? How was it bloodied? How was it not bloodied? For I know not what to say, so awful was that mystery. It touched not the neck of the child, nor passed through the throat of that holy one: nor was crimsoned with the blood of the righteous; rather it both touched, and passed through, and was crimsoned, and was bathed in it, yet was not bathed. Perchance I seem to you beside myself, uttering such contradictions. For, in truth, I am beside myself, with the thought of the wondrous deed of that righteous man; but I utter no contradictions. For indeed the righteous man's hand thrust it in the throat of the lad, but God's Hand suffered it not, so thrust, to be stained with blood of the lad. For it was not Abraham alone that held it back, but God also: and he by his purpose gave the stroke, God by His voice restrained it. For the same voice both armed and disarmed that right hand, which, marshalled under God, as if under a leader, performed all things at His beck, and all were ministered at His voice. For observe; He said, “Slay,” and straightway it was armed: He said, “Slay not,” and straightway it was disarmed: for every thing [before] had been fully prepared.

And now God showed the soldier and general to the whole world; this crowned victor to the theatre of the angels; this priest, this king, crowned with that knife beyond a diadem, this trophy-bearer, this champion, this conqueror without a fight. For as if some general having a most valiant soldier, should use his mastery of his weapons, his bearing, his ordered movements to dismay the adversary; so also God, by the purpose, the attitude, the bearing only of that righteous man, dismayed and routed the common enemy of us all, the Devil. For I deem that even he then shrunk away aghast. But if any one say, 'And why did he not suffer that right hand to be bathed, and then immediately raise him up after being sacrificed?' Because God might not accept such bloody offerings; such a table were that of avenging demons. But here two things were displayed, both the loving kindness of the Master, and the faithfulness of the servant. And before, indeed, he went out from his country: but then he abandoned even nature. Wherefore also he received his principal with usury: and very reasonably. For he chose to lose the name of father, to show himself a faithful servant. Wherefore he became not a father only, but also a priest; and because for God's sake he gave up his own, therefore also did God give him with these His own besides. When then enemies devise mischief, He allows it to come even to the trial, and then works miracles; as in the case of the furnace and the lions; but when Himself bids, readiness attained, He stays His bidding. What then, I ask, was wanting further in this noble deed? For did Abraham foreknow what would happen? Did he bargain for the mercy of God? For even though he were a prophet, yet the prophet knows not all things. So the actual sacrifice afterwards was superfluous and unworthy of God. And if it was fit he should learn that God was able to raise from the dead, by the womb he had learned this much more marvellously, or rather he learned it even before that proof, for he had faith.