4 April 2015 A.D. Gregory of Nazianzus on the Crucifixion of the God-Man (Theanthropos)
4 April 2015 A.D. Gregory of
Nazianzus on the Crucifixion of the God-Man (Theanthropos)
Swain, Scott. “Gregory
of Nazianzus on the crucifixion of the God-man.” Reformation21. 3 Apr 2015. http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2015/04/gregory-of-nazianzus-on-the-cr.php.
Accessed 4 Apr 2015.
Gregory of Nazianzus on the crucifixion of the God-man
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Some
time in the autumn of 379, Gregory of Nazianzus answered the summons issued by
the Synod of Antioch to take up residence in Constantinople. His job
description was clear: to promote the Nicene faith in a city given over to
Arianism. Gregory soon established the Church of the Resurrection and, within a
year, preached a series of sermons we know as his "Five Theological
Orations."
Oration
29--the "third" theological oration--is devoted to the identity and
action of the Son of God, our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. It is an able and
eloquent presentation and defense of orthodox Christology. It also provides
ample material for meditation on this Good Friday.
Near
the end of Oration 29, Gregory engages in an extended discourse on the
beautiful and paradoxical nature of Christ's suffering and death as the
God-man, which I cite below. In order to fully appreciate the beauty and power
of this section of Gregory's sermon, it is helpful to note a couple of features
that characterize his preaching of Christ. First, his discourse is attentive to
the fact that Jesus is "one Lord" and therefore that everything he
did and suffered on our behalf was performed by one saving subject. The one who
suffered death for us on the cross is the same one who conquered death in his
death for us on the cross, etc. Second, his discourse is attentive to the fact
that this "one Lord" is at one and the same time fully God and fully
man and therefore that everything he did and suffered on our behalf reflects
the twofold character of his theanthropic (i.e., divine and human)
person.
Without
further comment, I commend to you Gregory of Nazianzus on the crucifixion of
the God-man:
He
is sold, and very cheap, for it is only for thirty pieces of silver; but he
redeems the world, and that at a great price, for the price of his own blood.
As a sheep he is led to the slaughter, but he is the shepherd of Israel, and
now of the whole world also. As a lamb he is silent, yet he is the Word, and is
proclaimed by the voice of one crying in the wilderness. He is bruised and
wounded, but he heals every disease and infirmity. He is lifted up and nailed
to the tree, but by the tree of life he restores us; yea, he saves even the
robber crucified with him; yea, he wrapped the visible world in darkness. He is
given vinegar to drink mingled with gall. Who? He who turned the water into
wine, who is the destroyer of the bitter taste, who is sweetness and altogether
desired. He lays down his life, but he has power to take it again; and the veil
is rent, for the mysterious doors of heaven are opened; the rocks are cleft,
the dead arise. He dies, but he gives life, and by his death destroys
death.
- See more at: http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2015/04/gregory-of-nazianzus-on-the-cr.php#sthash.iz2M6Rie.dpuf
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