Now in the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah the king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign.
He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.
And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to everything his father David did. He removed the high places and broke into pieces the sacred pillars. He cut down the sacred wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent Moses had made, because up to those days, the sons of Israel had burned incense to it. They called it Nehushtan.
He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, and after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those that were before him.
He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.
And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to everything his father David did. He removed the high places and broke into pieces the sacred pillars. He cut down the sacred wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent Moses had made, because up to those days, the sons of Israel had burned incense to it. They called it Nehushtan.
He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, and after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those that were before him.
There was a man who is well known for his entertaining guests in his house. When a guest came to his house, he washed his feet, prepared a meal for him, and gave him the Bible to read.
One day, a sixty-year-old man came to his house. After washing his feet, he invited the old man to read the Bible, but he became angry and refused to read the Bible, saying, “I do not know God.”
Soon the owner ousted the guest from his house in the middle of the night.
Then he asked God, “God, what kind of man did you bring in my house?”
God answered him back,“How old was the man you had expelled tonight?”
He replied,“Sixty years old.”
Then God said to him,“How could you not spare him for one while I have carried him for sixty years?”
One day, a sixty-year-old man came to his house. After washing his feet, he invited the old man to read the Bible, but he became angry and refused to read the Bible, saying, “I do not know God.”
Soon the owner ousted the guest from his house in the middle of the night.
Then he asked God, “God, what kind of man did you bring in my house?”
God answered him back,“How old was the man you had expelled tonight?”
He replied,“Sixty years old.”
Then God said to him,“How could you not spare him for one while I have carried him for sixty years?”
And the sun, the lamp of humankind, obscured itself.
It took and spread across its face a veil of darkness
so that it would not see the disgrace of the sun of righteousness,
in whose light shine the watchers above.
Creation reeled and heaven doubled over;
Sheol vomited and spat out the dead
Ephrem the Syrian, On the Crucifixion#Patrisrics #Atonement #Crucifixion
And because our debt so surpassed everything in its enormity, neither prophets nor priests, nor the just, nor kings, were sufficient for it.Therefore, when the Son of the Lord of all came, although omnipotent, he did not pay our debt either in the womb[of his mother], by his birth, or by his baptism.[He did not pay it] until he was delivered over to the cross and tasted death, so that his death might be the payer of our debt.Through it, that[debt], which all creatures were incapable of paying, would be paid. - Ephrem the Syrian, Commentary on the Diatessarion, xxi.32
#Patristics #Crucifixion #Atonement #SoteriologyAs for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.Men, are not women strong? The earth is great, heaven is high,and the sun is swift in its course, for it revolves around heaven in a circle and returns again to its place in one day.Is not He great who made all things? For His truth is great and stronger than all things. All the earth summons the truth, and heaven blesses it;for all His works shake with fear and tremble,and there is nothing unjust with Him. But wine is unjust, the king is unjust, women are unjust, all the children of the men and their works are unjust, and all such things are unjust; for there is no truth in them. So they will perish in their injustice.But the truth abides and is strong forever. The truth lives and rules unto ages of ages. There is no partiality or prejudice with the truth, but it does righteous things, distinct from all wrongdoings and evil. All are pleased with its deeds, and there is nothing unjust in its judgment. For strength, dominion, authority, and majesty belong to it unto all ages, and blessed is the God of truth."Sir, you’ve saved us from exile and restored us to our homes: it’s no wonder that we grieve when you mean to leave us so soon. Our sorrow is bound to be great, and it couldn’t be more so."
And he(Percival) said to them: There’s no need to cry any more. With God’s guidance I’ll return, and what’s the use of weeping?
Don’t you think it’s right that I should go and see my mother, whom I left on her own in the wood called the Waste Forest?
I’ll come back, whether it’s her wish or not – I shan’t fail to, not for all the world. If she’s alive, I’ll have her take the veil as a nun in your church; and if she’s dead, I’ll have a service for her soul each year, that God may place her with the pious souls in Abraham’s bosom.
Worthy monks, and you, good ladies, this should be no cause for grief, for I’ll endow you richly for her soul’s sake, if God leads me back.