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Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures
Edwin Hamilton Gifford; NPNF2-07 (1894) · Translated text
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Lecture 2 (part 2) Edition note 1
thou, a private person, to confess? Again, after Absalom’s insurrection, though there were many roads for him to escape, he chose to flee by the Mount of Olives, in thought, as it were, invoking the Redeemer who was to go up thence into the heavensEdition note 2. And when Shimei cursed him bitterly, he said, Let him alone, for he knew that “to him that forgiveth it shall be forgivenEdition note 3.”
13. Thou seest that it is good to make confession. Thou seest that there is salvation for them that repent. Solomon also fell but what saith he? Afterwards I repentedEdition note 4. Ahab, too, the King of Samaria, became a most wicked idolater, an outrageous man, the murderer of the ProphetsEdition note 5, a stranger to godliness, a coveter of other men’s fields and vineyards. Yet when by Jezebel’s means he had slain Naboth, and the Prophet Elias came and merely threatened him, he rent his garments, and put on sackcloth.
And what saith the merciful God to Elias? Hast than seen how Ahab is pricked in the heart before MeEdition note 6? as if almost He would persuade the fiery zeal of the Prophet to condescend to the penitent. For He saith, I will not bring the evil in his days. And though after this forgiveness he was sure not to depart from his wickedness, nevertheless the forgiving God forgave him, not as being ignorant of the future, but as granting a forgiveness corresponding to his present season of repentance. For it is the part of a righteous judge to give sentence according to each case that has occurred.
14. Again, Jeroboam was standing at the altar sacrificing to the idols: his hand became withered, because he commanded the Prophet who reproved him to be seized: but having by experience learned the power of the man before him, he says, Entreat the face of the Lord thy GodEdition note 7; and because of this saying his hand was restored again. If the Prophet healed Jeroboam, is Christ not able to heal and deliver thee from thy sins? Manasses also was utterly wicked, who sawed Isaiah asunderEdition note 8, and was defiled with all kinds of idolatries, and filled Jerusalem with innocent bloodEdition note 9; but having been led captive to Babylon he used his experience of misfortune for a healing course of repentance: for the Scripture saith that Manasses humbled himself before the Lord, and prayed, and the Lord heard him, and brought him back to his kingdom. If He who sawed the Prophet asunder was saved by repentance, shall not thou then, having done no such great wickedness, be saved?
15. Take heed lest without reason thou mistrust the power of repentance. Wouldst thou know what power repentance has? Wouldst thou know the strong weapon of salvation, and learn what the force of confession is? Hezekiah by means of confession routed a hundred and fourscore and five thousand of his enemies. A great thing verily was this, but still small in comparison with what remains to be told: the same king by repentance obtained the recall of a divine sentence which had already gone forth. For when he had fallen sick, Esaias said to him, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not liveEdition note 10.
What expectation remained, what hope of recovery, when the Prophet said, for thou shalt die? Yet Hezekiah did not desist from repentance; but remembering what is written, When thou shalt turn and lament, then shalt thou be savedEdition note 11, he turned to the wall, and from his bed lifting his mind to heaven (for thickness of walls is no hindrance to prayers sent up with devotion), he said,
“Remember me, O Lord, for it is sufficient for my healing that Thou remember me. Thou art not subject to times, but art Thyself the giver of the law of life. For our life depends not on a nativity, nor on a conjunction of stars, as some idly talk; but both of life and its duration. Then art Thyself the Lawgiver according to Thy Will.”
And he, who could not hope to live because of the prophetic sentence, had fifteen years added to his life, and for the sign the sun ran backward in his course. Well then, for Ezekias’ sake the sun turned back but for Christ the sun was eclipsed, not retracing his steps, but suffering eclipseEdition note 12, and therefore shewing the difference between them, I mean between Ezekias and Jesus. The former prevailed to the cancelling of God’s decree, and cannot Jesus grant remission of sins? Turn and bewail thyself, shut thy door, and pray to be forgiven, pray that He may remove from thee the burning flames. For confession has power to quench even fire, power to tame even lionsEdition note 13.
16. But if thou disbelieve, consider what befel Ananias and his companions. What streams did they pour outEdition note 14? How many vesselsEdition note 15 of water could quench the flame that rose up forty-nine cubits highEdition note 16? Nay, but where the flame mounted up a littleEdition note 17 too high, faith was there poured out as a river, and there spake they the spell against all ills[^n542]: Righteous art Thou, O Lord, in all the things that Thou hast done to us: for we have sinned, and transgressed Thy lawEdition note 18. And their repentance quelled the flamesEdition note 19.
If thou believest not that repentance is able to quench the fire of hell, learn it from what happened in regard to AnaniasEdition note 20. But some keen hearer will say, Those men God rescued justly in that case: because they refused to commit idolatry, God gave them that power. And since this thought has occurred, I come next to a different example of penitenceEdition note 21.
17. What thinkest thou of Nabuchodonosor? Hast thou not heard out of the Scriptures that he was bloodthirsty, fierceEdition note 22, lion-like in disposition? Hast thou not heard that he brought out the bones of the kings from their graves into the lightEdition note 23? Hast thou not heardEdition note 24 that he carried the people away captive? Hast thou not heard that he put out the eyes of the king, after he had already seen his children slainEdition note 25? Hast thou not heard that he brake in piecesEdition note 26 the Cherubim? I do not mean the invisibleEdition note 27 beings;—away with such a thought, O manEdition note 28,—but the sculptured images, and the mercy-seat, in the midst of which God spake with His voiceEdition note 29.
The veil of the SanctuaryEdition note 30 he trampled under foot: the altar of incense he took and carried away to an idol-temple[^n556]: all the offerings he took away: the Temple he burned from the foundationsEdition note 31. How great punishments did he deserve, for slaying kings, for setting fire to the Sanctuary, for taking the people captive, for setting the sacred vessels in the house of idols? Did he not deserve ten thousand deaths?
18. Thou hast seen the greatness of his evil deeds: come now to God’s loving-kindness. He was turned into a wild beastEdition note 32, he abode in the wilderness, he was scourged, that he might be saved. He had claws as a lionEdition note 33; for he was a ravager of the Sanctuary. He had a lion’s mane: for he was a ravening and a roaring lion. He ate grass like an ox: for a brute beast he was, not knowing Him who had given him the kingdom. His body was wet from the dew; because after seeing the fire quenched by the dew he believed notEdition note 34.
And what happenedEdition note 35? After this, saith he, I, Nabuchodonosor, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and I blessed the Most High, and to Him that liveth for ever I gave praise and gloryEdition note 36. When, therefore, he recognised the Most HighEdition note 37, and sent up these words of thankfulness to God, and repented himself for what he had done, and recognised his own weakness, then God gave back to him the honour of the kingdom.
19. What thenEdition note 38? When Nabuchodonosor, after having done such deeds, had made confession, did God give him pardon and the kingdom, and when thou repentest shall He not give thee the remission of sins, and the kingdom of heaven, if thou live a worthy life? The Lord is loving unto man, and swift to pardon, but slow to punish. Let no man therefore despair of his own salvation. Peter, the chiefest and foremost of the Apostles, denied the Lord thrice before a little maid: but he repented himself, and wept bitterly. Now weeping shews the repentance of the heart: and therefore he not only received forgiveness for his denial, but also held his Apostolic dignity unforfeited.
20. Having therefore, brethren, many examples of those who have sinned and repented and been saved, do ye also heartily make confession unto the Lord, that ye may both receive the forgiveness of your former sins, and be counted worthy of the heavenly gift, and inherit the heavenly kingdom with all the saints in Christ Jesus; to Whom is the glory for ever and ever. AmenEdition note 39.