CFS-WB-CH07
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1 Why is it an error to speak of the “Jesus of history” as distinct from the “Christ of faith”?<br />
2 What must we never lose sight of when contemplating the various aspects of the mystery of Christ?<br />
3 Who did Christ mysteriously unite Himself to by His Incarnation?<br />
Homily 66, 1–3, St. Augustine, ca. AD 354–AD 430<br />
1. The Lord appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, as you have heard, and saluted them, saying,<br />
Peace be unto you. This is peace indeed, and the salutation of salvation: for the very word salutation has<br />
received its name from salvation. And what can be better than that Salvation Itself should salute man?<br />
For Christ is our Salvation. He is our Salvation, who was wounded for us, and fixed by nails to the tree,<br />
and being taken down from the tree, was laid in the sepulchre. And from the sepulchre He arose, with<br />
His wounds healed, His scars kept. For this He judged expedient for His disciples, that His scars should<br />
be kept, where by the wounds of their hearts might be healed. What wounds? The wounds of unbelief.<br />
For He appeared to their eyes, exhibiting real flesh, and they thought they saw a spirit. It is no light<br />
wound, this wound of the heart. Yea, they have made a malignant heresy who have abided in this wound.<br />
But do we suppose that the disciples had not been wounded, because they were so quickly healed?<br />
Only, Beloved, suppose, if they had continued in this wound, to think that the Body which had been buried,<br />
could not rise again, but that a spirit in the image of a body, deceived the eyes of men: if they had<br />
continued in this belief, yea, rather in this unbelief, not their wounds, but their death would have had to<br />
be bewailed.<br />
2. But what said the Lord Jesus? Why are you troubled, and why do thoughts ascend into your hearts? If<br />
thoughts ascend into your heart, the thoughts come from the earth. But it is good for a man, not that a<br />
thought should ascend into his heart, but that his heart should itself ascend upwards, where the Apostle<br />
would have believers place their hearts, to whom he said, If you be risen with Christ, mind those things<br />
which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Seek those things which are above, not<br />
the things which are upon the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ<br />
your life shall appear, then shall you also appear with Him in glory. In what glory? The glory of the resurrection.<br />
In what glory? Hear the Apostle saying of this body, It is sown in dishonour, it shall rise in glory.<br />
This glory the Apostles were unwilling to assign to their Master, their Christ, their Lord: they did not<br />
believe that His Body could rise from the sepulchre: they thought Him to be a Spirit, though they saw<br />
His flesh, and they believed not their very eyes. Yet we believe them who preach but do not show Him.<br />
Lo, they believed not Christ who showed Himself to them. Malignant wound! Let the remedies for these<br />
scars come forth. Why are you troubled, and why do thoughts ascend into your hearts? See My hands<br />
and My feet, where I was fixed with the nails. Handle and see. But ye see, and yet do not see. Handle and<br />
see. What? That a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see me have. When He had thus spoken, so it is<br />
written, He showed them His hands and His feet.<br />
3. And while they were yet in hesitation, and wondered for joy. Now there was joy already, and yet hesitation<br />
continued. For a thing incredible had taken place, yet taken place it had. Is it at this day a thing<br />
incredible, that the Body of the Lord rose again from the sepulchre? The whole cleansed world has believed<br />
it; whoever has not believed it, has remained in his uncleanness. Yet at that time it was incredible:<br />
© Sophia Institute for Teachers<br />
Unit 3, Chapter 7: Evidence for Jesus’ Divinity<br />
143