De passione domini
The Nature of Christ's Passion
The author outlines the five reasons why Christ's Passion was bitter, shameful, and fruitful, focusing on the ignominy and injustice of his suffering.
Christ's Passion was bitter because of the pain, shameful because of the mockery, and fruitful because of its manifold utility; the pain, however, was caused by five things. First, because the Passion itself was ignominious, and this was due to the ignominious place—since it was at Calvary, where evildoers were punished—and due to the ignominious execution, since he was condemned to a most shameful death. The cross was a punishment for thieves, and although it was a source of great shame then, it is now a source of immense glory. Hence Augustine says: the cross, which was the punishment of thieves, now passes to the foreheads of emperors. If God bestowed such honor upon his own punishment, what will he bestow upon his servant? It was ignominious because of the company, since he was counted among the wicked—that is, among the thieves who were originally criminals. But later one was converted, namely Dismas, who was on the right, as the Gospel of Nicodemus says, and the other was damned, namely Gesmas, who was on the left. To one, therefore, he gave a kingdom; to the other, punishment. Ambrose says: The Author of holiness, hanging on the cross, distributed the duties of holiness in every task: persecution to the apostles, peace to the disciples, his body to the Jews, his garments to his executioners, his spirit to the Father, a guardian to the Virgin, paradise to the thief, hell to sinners, and the cross to repentant Christians. Behold the testament that Christ made while hanging in death upon the cross. Secondly, it was unjust, because he committed no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth; and therefore, because he came undeserving of it, the pain he suffered was a pain that should be mourned. For they accused him unjustly of three things in particular: namely, that he forbade the payment of tribute, that he called himself a king, and that he made himself the Son of God. Against these three accusations, we say in the Good Friday liturgy, in the person of the Savior, three excuses: 'My people, what have I done to you?' There, Christ reproaches them for three benefits bestowed upon them—namely, the liberation from Egypt, the guidance in the desert, and the planting of the vineyard in the best of places—as if Christ were saying: 'You accuse me regarding the payment of tribute, but you should rather give thanks, because I freed you from tribute; you accuse me because I said I was a king, but you should rather give thanks, because I fed you royally in the desert; you accuse me because I said I was the Son of God, but you should rather give thanks, because I chose you for my vineyard and planted you in the best of places.' Thirdly, it was because he suffered at the hands of friends; for the pain would be more bearable if he suffered at the hands of those who, for some reason, ought to be his enemies, or from those who were strangers or foreigners, or from those to whom he had caused some harm; but he suffers at the hands of friends—that is, from those who ought to be his friends. And also from his own kin—that is, from those of whose lineage he was born. Regarding these two, the Psalm says: "My friends and my neighbors," and so on. Job. XIX: "My acquaintances have departed from me as if they were strangers." Likewise, from those to whom he had brought many good things, John. VIII: "I have done many good works for them." Bernard: O good Jesus, how sweetly you lived among men, how great and abundant were the gifts you bestowed upon them, and how harsh and bitter were the things you suffered for them—harsh words, harsher lashes, and the harshest torments. Fourth, because of the tenderness of his body, which is mentioned in the figure of David in 2 Samuel. Penultimate. He is like the most tender worm of the wood. Bernard says: 'O Jews, you are stones; you strike a stone softer than yourselves, from which the ringing of piety resounds and the oil of charity flows out.' Jerome also says: 'Jesus was handed over to the soldiers to be scourged, and the whips cut into that most sacred body and the breast of God, which is capable of suffering.'
The Universality of Suffering
A detailed examination of how Christ suffered in all five senses, including his tears, the insults he heard, and the physical torments he endured.
Fifth, for the reason that it was universal, because it reached through all parts and all senses. For first, this pain was in his eyes, because he wept, as it is said in Hebrews. V. Bernard says: 'He climbed to a high place so that he might be heard from further away; he cried out strongly so that no one might be excused; he added tears to his cry so that he might have compassion on them.' He also shed tears twice on other occasions: at the resurrection of Lazarus and over Jerusalem. And so, his first tears were of love; that’s why, when some saw him weeping, they said, "Look how he loved him!" The second were of compassion, but the third were of sorrow. The second type of pain was in hearing, when insults and blasphemies were leveled against him; for Christ specifically had four things in which he heard insults and blasphemies. He possessed an excellent nobility, because in his divine nature he was the Son of the eternal King, and in his human nature he was born of a royal line; so too, as a man, he was King of kings and Lord of lords. He possessed an ineffable truth, because he himself is the way, the truth, and the life; hence he says of himself again, "Your word is truth," for the Son is the Word or the utterance of the Father. He possessed an insuperable power, because all things were made through him, and without him nothing was made; he possessed, moreover, a singular goodness, because no one is good except God alone. In these things Christ heard insults and blasphemies: first, regarding his nobility; Matthew... XII: "Is this not the carpenter's son?" Isn't his mother called Mary, and so on? Secondly, regarding his power, Matthew: 12: 'This man doesn't cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the prince of demons.' Also Matthew: 27: 'He saved others; he couldn't save himself.' Look, they call him powerless, even though he was so powerful that he struck his persecutors to the ground with a single word. For when he asked, 'Whom are you looking for?' and they had answered, 'Jesus the Nazarene,' and he himself had said, 'I am he,' they immediately fell to the ground. Augustine says: A single word struck down, repelled, and leveled a crowd fierce with hatred and terrifying with weapons, without any weapon at all, by the power of his hidden divinity. What will he do as Judge, when he could do this while being judged? What will he be able to do as King, when he could do this while facing death? Third, regarding the truth, John 8. “You testify about yourself; your testimony is not true.” Look, they call him a liar, even though he himself is the way, the truth, and the life. Pilate didn't deserve to know or hear this truth, because he didn't judge him according to the truth. He did, in fact, begin his judgment from the truth, but he didn't remain in the truth; and so, while he deserved to raise the question about the truth, he didn't deserve to hear the answer. According to Augustine, there is another reason he didn't hear the answer: once he asked the question, the Jewish custom—where one prisoner was released at Passover—suddenly came to mind, so he left immediately without waiting for an answer. A third reason, according to Chrysostom, is that he knew such a difficult question required a great deal of time and discussion; since he was in a hurry to release Christ, he left right away. However, the Gospel of Nicodemus records that when Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" Jesus answered him, "Truth is from heaven." And Pilate said, "Is there no truth on earth?" Jesus said to him, "How can there be truth on earth, when it is judged by those who have power on earth?" Regarding the extent. Regarding his goodness, for they said in their hearts that he was a sinner (John). 9: "We know that this man is a sinner"; he is a deceiver in his speech (Luke). 12: "He has stirred up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee even to this place"; he is a violator of the law in his work (John). 9: "This man is not from God, for he doesn't keep the Sabbath." Third, he suffered in his sense of smell, because he could perceive the great stench at Calvary, where the foul bodies of the dead were. Hence it is said in the Scholastic History that 'Calvary' properly means the bare bone of a human head; and because criminals were beheaded there and many bones of heads were scattered about, it was called the place of Calvary, or the calvarium. Fourth, he suffered in his sense of taste; that's why, when he cried out, 'I thirst,' they gave him vinegar. They gave him wine mixed with myrrh and gall so that he might die more quickly from the vinegar and the guards could be freed from their watch sooner—for it is said that those crucified die faster if they drink vinegar—and he suffered in his sense of smell from the myrrh and in his sense of taste from the gall. Augustine says: Sincerity is filled with vinegar instead of wine; sweetness is intoxicated with gall; innocence is added to the guilty; Life dies for the dead. Fifth, he suffered in his sense of touch, because there was no health in him from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. Regarding how he suffered in all his senses, Bernard says: his head, which the angelic spirits tremble before, is pierced by a thicket of thorns; his face, more beautiful than the sons of men, is defiled by the spit of the Jews; his eyes, brighter than the sun, grow dim in death; his ears, which hear the songs of angels, hear the insults of sinners; his mouth, which teaches the angels, is given gall and vinegar to drink; his feet, whose footstool is worshipped because it is holy, are nailed to the cross; his hands, which formed the heavens, are stretched out on the cross and fixed with nails; his body is scourged, his side is pierced with a lance—and what more is there to say? Nothing remained in him but his tongue, so that he might pray for sinners and entrust his mother to his disciple.
The Humiliation of Mockery
The text describes the four occasions of mockery Christ faced, from the house of Annas to the Cross, and the virtues displayed therein.
Second, his passion involved the humiliation of mockery, for he was mocked on four separate occasions. First, in the house of Annas, where he was spat upon, slapped, and blindfolded. Bernard says: they defiled your face, good Jesus—that face so desirable, into which the angels long to look—with spit, struck it with their hands, covered it with a veil in mockery, and did not spare you from bitter wounds. Second, in the house of Herod, who considered him a fool and not of sound mind because he could get no answer from him, and so he dressed him in a white robe in mockery. Bernard says: you are a human and have a garland of flowers, while I am God and have a crown of thorns; you have gloves on your hands, while I have nails driven through mine; you dance in white robes, while I was mocked for your sake by Herod in a white robe; you dance with your feet, while I labored with mine; you stretch out your arms in dances in the shape of a cross for joy, while I had mine stretched out on the cross in shame; I suffered on the cross, and you exult on the cross; you have an open side and chest as a sign of vanity, while I had my side laid open for you. Still, turn back to me, and I will take you in. But why did the Lord remain silent during his Passion before Herod, Pilate, and the Jews? There are three reasons for this: the first is that they were not worthy to hear his answer; the second is that Eve had sinned through talkativeness, and so Christ wanted to make amends through silence; the third is that whatever he answered, they would only twist and slander it. Third, in Pilate's house, the soldiers wrapped him in a scarlet cloak, put a reed in his hands, placed a crown of thorns upon his head, and kneeling down, said, 'Hail, King of the Jews.' This crown of thorns, however, is said to have been made of sea rushes, whose points are just as hard and piercing as a thorn; for this reason, it's believed that this crown drew blood from his head. Hence Bernard says: 'That divine head was pierced by a dense thicket of thorns all the way to the brain.' There are three opinions regarding the soul—specifically, where it has its primary seat: whether in the heart, because of the saying, 'Out of the heart come evil thoughts,' etc. or in the blood, because of the saying in Leviticus, 'The soul of all flesh is in the blood,' or in the head, because of the saying, 'Bowing his head, he gave up his spirit,' etc. The Jews seem to have known this triple opinion, at least by their actions; for in order to tear his soul from his body, they sought it in the head when they drove the thorns all the way to his brain, they sought it in the blood when they opened his veins in his hands and feet, and they sought it in the heart when they pierced his side. To counter these three illusions, on Good Friday, before the unveiling of the Cross, we perform three acts of adoration, saying: Agios o Theos. It’s as if we are honoring three times the One who was mocked three times for our sake. Fourth, on the Cross, according to Matthew. Matthew 27: The chief priests, along with the elders and scribes, mocked him and said, 'If he is the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.' Bernard says on this passage: 'In the meantime, he shows great patience, commends humility, fulfills obedience, and perfects love.' Indeed, the four corners of the Cross are adorned with these gems of virtue: love is preeminent, obedience is on the right, patience is on the left, and humility, the root of all virtues, is at the base. Bernard briefly summarizes everything Christ suffered, saying: 'As long as I live, I will remember the labors he endured in preaching, the weariness in traveling, the vigils in prayer, the temptations in fasting, the tears in compassion, the traps in conversation, and finally the insults, spitting, blows, mockery, slanders, and reproaches.' Thirdly, his Passion was fruitful in many ways, and its utility can be threefold: the remission of sins, the bestowal of grace, and the manifestation of glory. These three are noted in the title on the Cross, for 'Jesus' refers to the first, 'Nazarene' to the second, and 'King of the Jews' to the third, because there we shall all be kings.
The Fruitfulness of Redemption
An exploration of the utility of the Passion, focusing on the remission of sins, the bestowal of grace, and the defeat of the enemy.
Regarding its utility, Augustine says: 'Christ destroyed present, past, and future guilt; he took away past sins by forgiving them, he draws men away from present sins, and he confers the grace by which future sins are avoided.' Augustine also says regarding this utility: 'Let us admire, rejoice, love, praise, and adore, because through the death of our Redeemer we have been called from darkness to light, from death to life, from corruption to incorruption, from exile to our homeland, and from mourning to joy.' How useful the manner of our redemption was is clear from four reasons: it was most acceptable for appeasing God, most fitting for healing our sickness, most effective for drawing the human race to Himself, and most prudent for defeating the enemy of the human race. First, therefore, it was most acceptable for appeasing and reconciling God, because, as Anselm says in his book *Cur Deus Homo*, no act is more painful or difficult for a person to endure for the honor of God—voluntarily and not out of obligation—than death; and in no way can a person give more of themselves than when they surrender to death for His honor. And this is what is said in Ephesians. “He gave Himself up as an offering and a sacrifice to God, a fragrant aroma.” Regarding how this sacrifice appeased and reconciled us to God, Augustine says in his book De Trinitate: “What could be received more gratefully than the flesh of our sacrifice, which became the body of our Priest?” So that, since four things are considered in every sacrifice—to whom it is offered, what is offered, for whom it is offered, and who offers it—the one and same Mediator of both, reconciling us to God through the sacrifice of peace, might remain with Him to whom He was offering, and might make one in Himself those for whom He was offering, being Himself the one who offered and that which was offered. Furthermore, regarding how we are reconciled through Christ, the same Augustine says that Christ is both Priest and sacrifice, God and temple. He is the Priest through whom we are reconciled, the sacrifice by which we are reconciled, the God to whom we are reconciled, and the temple in which we are reconciled. And so, to those who think little of this reconciliation, Augustine, speaking as Christ, reproaches them: "When you were an enemy to my Father, he reconciled you through me; when you were far off, I came to redeem you; when you were wandering among all the mountains and forests, I sought you; among the stones and trees I found you, and so that you would not be torn by the savage jaws of wolves and wild beasts, I gathered you up, carried you on my shoulders, and restored you to my Father. I labored, I sweated, I set my head against thorns, I offered my hands to the nails, I opened my side with a lance; I was torn by so many—I won't say injuries, but—hardships; I shed my blood, I laid down my soul to join you to me, and yet you separate yourself from me." Secondly, it was most fitting for healing the disease; this fitness, however, is considered in terms of time, place, and manner. Regarding time: because Adam was created and sinned in the month of March, on a Friday at the sixth hour, and therefore Christ chose to suffer in March, because on the day he was announced, he also suffered. Likewise, on a Friday and at the sixth hour. Secondly, regarding place, the location of his passion is considered in three ways: common, special, or singular. The common place was the land of promise; the special place was Calvary; the singular place was the cross. In the common place, the first man was formed, because it is said he was formed in those parts near Damascus, in the Damascene field. In the special place, he was buried, because it is said that Adam was buried in the same place where Christ suffered, although this may not be authentic, since according to Jerome, Adam was buried on Mount Hebron, as was Joshua. This is stated explicitly in XIV. He was deceived in a singular place—not that Adam was deceived by the very tree on which Christ suffered, but it is said to be so because, just as Adam was deceived by a tree, so Christ suffered on a tree. A certain Greek history claims it happened in that same place. Third, regarding the method of healing, which occurred through similarities and opposites: through similarities, because as Augustine says in his book On Christian Doctrine, man was deceived through a woman and born through a woman, and he freed mortals from death and the dead from death; and Ambrose says that Adam was from virgin earth, and Christ from a virgin. The former was to the image of God, the latter is the image of God; through a woman came foolishness, through a woman came wisdom; Adam was naked, Christ was naked; death came through a tree, life through the cross; Adam was in a desert, Christ was in a desert. Through opposites, because the first man, according to Gregory, sinned through pride, disobedience, and gluttony—for he wanted to be made like God through the height of knowledge, to cross the boundary of God's command, and to taste the sweetness of the fruit. And because healing must be done through the opposite, this method of satisfaction was most fitting, because it was through humility, the fulfillment of the divine will, and affliction. Regarding these three, see Philippians. II: He humbled himself, regarding the first; he became obedient, regarding the second; even to death, regarding the third. Third, he was most effective in drawing the human race to himself; for while still preserving the freedom of the will, he could not have drawn humanity more strongly to his love and trust. As for how he draws us to love through this, Bernard says: 'The chalice you drank, good Jesus—the work of our redemption—makes you lovable above all things.' This completely and easily claims our entire love for you; it is this that entices our love more gently, demands it more justly, binds it more quickly, and affects it more intensely. For where you emptied yourself, where you stripped yourself of your natural radiance, there mercy shone more brightly, there charity blazed more fully, and there grace radiated more abundantly.✦ As for how this leads to trust, it is said in Romans:✦ 'He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?'✦ Regarding this, Bernard also says: 'Who would not be drawn to hope?' It is a trust that is won by anyone who considers the disposition of his body: his head bowed for a kiss, his arms stretched for an embrace, his hands pierced to give freely, his side opened to be loved, his feet nailed to remain with us, and his body extended to give himself entirely to us. Fourth, he was most prudent in overcoming the enemy of the human race, Job. XXV: His prudence struck down the proud one, and finally: can you catch Leviathan with a hook? Christ hid the hook of his divinity under the bait of his humanity, and the devil, eager to take the bait of flesh, was caught by the hook of divinity. Regarding this prudent capture, Augustine says: the Redeemer came and the deceiver was conquered; and what did the Redeemer do to our captor? He stretched out the trap of his cross, and placed his blood in it as bait. He himself, however, wanted to shed the blood not of a debtor, for which reason he withdrew from the debtors: the Apostle calls this kind of debt a 'handwriting,' which Christ indeed took and nailed to the cross. Regarding this 'handwriting,' Augustine says: Eve borrowed sin from the devil, wrote the 'handwriting,' gave a surety, and it grew for posterity through usury. She borrowed sin from the devil when she consented to his wicked command or suggestion against God's precept; she wrote the 'handwriting' when she reached out her hand to the forbidden fruit; and she gave a surety when she made Adam consent to the sin, and thus the usury of sin grew for posterity. Against those, therefore, who despise this redemption by which he brought us back from the power of the enemy, Bernard says in the person of Christ, by way of reproach: 'My people,' says the Lord, 'what could I have done for you that I did not do?'
The Fate of the Persecutors
A historical and legendary account of the punishments inflicted upon Judas, the Jews, and especially Pontius Pilate following the death of Christ.
Why would you rather serve the enemy than me? He didn't create you, nor did he feed you. If these things seem small to the ungrateful, know that it wasn't him, but I, who redeemed you. With what price? Certainly not with corruptible gold or silver, not with the sun or moon, not even with any of the angels; I redeemed you with my own blood. Furthermore, if you don't owe me your service by such a manifold right, then set everything else aside and at least come to an agreement with me for a daily wage. And because they handed Christ over to death—Judas through greed, the Jews through envy, and Pilate through fear—it is worth considering the punishment God inflicted on them for this sin. You will find the punishment and origin of Judas in the legend of Saint Matthias, the punishment and destruction of the Jews in the legend of Saint James the Less, and the punishment and origin of Pilate in a certain history—though it is apocryphal—which reads: There was a king named Tyrus who had carnal knowledge of a girl named Pyla, the daughter of a miller named Atus, and fathered a son by her. Pyla then combined a name from her own and her father's name, Atus, and gave the newborn boy the name Pilate. When Pilate was three years old, she sent him to the king. The king had a son by his queen and wife, who was considered to be about the same age as Pilate; when they reached the age of discretion, they often played together with wrestling, fighting, and slingshots. But the king’s legitimate son, being of nobler birth, proved more vigorous and capable in every kind of contest than Pilate in every situation. Because of this, Pilate, moved by the bile of envy and stung by bitter pain, secretly killed his brother; when the king heard this, he grieved deeply and, having called an assembly, asked what should be done to his son for this wicked and murderous act. They all unanimously proclaimed him guilty of death, but the king, having come to his senses, did not want to compound one iniquity with another; instead, he sent him as a hostage for the tribute that he owed the Romans annually, wishing both to be innocent of his son’s killing and to be freed from the Romans' tribute. For at that time, the son of the King of France was in Rome, whom the king had likewise sent to Rome for tribute; Pilate, having associated himself with him and seeing that he was surpassed by him in character and industry, was stirred by the stings of envy and killed him. But when the Romans inquired what should be done about him, they said: “If this man who killed his brother and slaughtered a hostage survives, he will be very useful to the republic, and he himself, being fierce, will tame the necks of fierce enemies.” They said, therefore: “Since he is held guilty of death, let him be appointed as judge over the island of Pontus and those peoples who suffer no judge, so that perhaps his wickedness might tame their stubbornness; if not, let him suffer what he deserves.” Sent, therefore, to a fierce people who were known to kill their own judges, Pilate was not unaware of those to whom he was sent or how precarious the sentence on his life was; considering the matter silently, he wanted to save his own life and completely subjugated the wicked people himself through threats and promises, punishment and payment. He who therefore emerged as the victor over such a harsh people received the name Pontius Pilate from the island of Pontus. When Herod heard of that man's skill, he was delighted by his cunning; being cunning himself, he invited him to his court with gifts and messengers, and handed over to him his own power and authority over Judea and Jerusalem. After amassing an immense fortune, he went to Rome without Herod's knowledge, offered a vast sum of money to the Emperor Tiberius, and through bribes secured from him the authority he had previously held from Herod. For this reason, Pilate and Herod became enemies, until the time of the Lord's passion, when he reconciled with him by sending the Lord to him. The Scholastic History provides another reason for their enmity. A man claiming to be the Son of God had led many Galileans astray; when he brought them to Mount Gerizim, claiming he would ascend into heaven, Pilate arrived and killed him along with all his followers, fearing he would lead the Jews astray in the same way. They became enemies because of this, since Herod presided over the Galileans, and both accounts could be true. When Pilate handed the Lord over to the Jews to be crucified, he still feared offending Tiberius Caesar for condemning an innocent man; so, he sent a close associate to Caesar to offer his excuse. Meanwhile, when Tiberius was suffering from a serious illness, it was reported to him that there was a physician in Jerusalem who could cure all diseases with a single word, for he didn't know that Pilate and the Jews had killed him. He said to Volusianus, his private messenger, "Go quickly across the seas and tell Pilate to send me this physician, so that he may restore me to my former health." When Volusianus reached Pilate and explained the emperor's command, Pilate was terrified and asked for a forty-day delay. During that time, Volusianus asked a certain woman named Veronica, who had been a follower of Jesus, where Christ Jesus could be found. She said, "Alas, he was my Lord and my God, whom Pilate, out of envy, handed over to be condemned and ordered to be crucified." Deeply grieved, he said, "I am terribly sorry, because I cannot do what my Lord commanded me." Veronica replied to him, "When my Lord was traveling around preaching, and I was missing his presence so painfully, I wanted to have his image painted for me, so that when I was deprived of his presence, the likeness of his image might at least provide me with some comfort. And when I was taking the cloth to the painter to be painted, the Lord met me and asked where I was going." When I had explained the reason for my journey to him, he asked me for the cloth and returned it to me, marked with his own venerable face. If your lord looks upon this image with devotion, he will immediately receive the gift of health. He asked her, "Is an image like this comparable to gold or silver?" She replied, "No, it's for the sake of devotion." “I’ll go with you, then, and I’ll bring the image for the Emperor to see, and then I’ll return.” Volusianus arrived in Rome with Veronica and said to the Emperor Tiberius, “Pilate and the Jews have handed over Jesus—the one you’ve long desired—to an unjust death, and out of envy they’ve nailed him to the cross.” “A certain woman has come with me, bringing the image of Jesus himself; if you look upon it with devotion, you will soon receive the gift of your health.” The Emperor then had the road covered with silk cloths and ordered the image to be brought to him; as soon as he looked upon it, he regained his former health. Pontius Pilate was then seized by the Emperor’s command and brought to Rome. When the Emperor heard that Pilate had arrived, he was filled with such fury against him that he had him brought before him. Pilate, however, had brought the Lord’s seamless tunic with him, and he wore it while standing before the Emperor. As soon as the Emperor saw him, he set aside all his anger and immediately stood up for him, unable to speak harshly to him in any way. He who had seemed so terrible and fierce in Pilate's absence was now found to be somewhat gentle in his presence. But once he’d dismissed him, he soon flared up against him in terrible anger, calling himself a wretch for not having shown him the fury of his heart, and he immediately had him recalled, swearing and declaring that he was a son of death and that it wasn't right for him to live on the earth. As soon as he saw him, he greeted him immediately and cast aside all his ferocity of spirit. Everyone was amazed, and he was amazed himself, that he could be so furious with Pilate while he was away, yet unable to say anything harsh to him when he was present. Finally, by divine prompting or perhaps at the urging of some Christian, he had him stripped of that tunic, and he resumed his former ferocity against him; and when the emperor was very surprised by this, he was told that the tunic had belonged to the Lord Jesus. Then the emperor ordered him to be taken to prison until he could consult with wise men about what should be done with him. A sentence was therefore passed against Pilate, condemning him to a most shameful death. Hearing this, Pilate killed himself with his own knife and ended his life with such a death. Once he learned of Pilate's death, Caesar said, "He has truly died a most shameful death, one which his own hand did not spare." He was then tied to a huge millstone and submerged in the Tiber River; but evil and filthy spirits, rejoicing in that evil and filthy body, and snatching it now in the waters and now in the air, stirred up amazing floods in the water and lightning and storms— —storms, thunder, and hail, which they generated terribly in the air, so that everyone was gripped by horrible fear. Because of this, the Romans pulled him from the Tiber, and to mock him, they took him to Vienna and threw him into the Rhône. Vienna is said to mean something like 'Way of Gehenna' because it was a place of cursing at that time, or it is more accurately called Bienna because it was built in two years, as the story goes. But wicked spirits were not absent there, doing the same things; so those people, unable to bear such an infestation of demons, removed that vessel of cursing from among them and entrusted it to be buried in the territory of the city of Lausanne. When they were weighed down too much by these infestations, they removed him from their midst and threw him into a well surrounded by mountains, where, according to some, certain diabolical machinations still seem to bubble up. Up to this point, these things are read in the aforementioned apocryphal history. Whether these things should be recounted is left to the reader's judgment. Note, however, that it is read in the Scholastic History that Pilate was accused by the Jews before Tiberius for the violent killing of innocent people, for placing images of the Gentiles in the Temple despite the Jews' protests, and for diverting money stored in the Corban for his own uses to build an aqueduct into his house. For all these reasons, he was sent into exile to Lyon, where he had been born, so that he might die there in disgrace to his own people. It could be true, if that history holds the truth, because he had already given the edict that he should be taken into exile to Lyon, and he was sent there before Volusianus returned to the emperor. But later on, when Tiberius heard how he had killed Christ, he had him brought out of exile and summoned to Rome. Eusebius and Bede, however, do not say in their chronicles that he was sent into exile, but only that, falling into many calamities, he killed himself with his own hand.
Liturgical Time and Reconciliation
A concluding note on the liturgical calendar, contrasting the time of deviation with the time of reconciliation.
Regarding the feast days that fall during the season of reconciliation. Having discussed the feasts that occur during the time of deviation—which began with Adam and lasted until Moses, a period the Church represents from Septuagesima until Easter—we should now look at the feasts that happen during the time of reconciliation, a period the Church represents from Easter until the octave of Pentecost.
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Passio Christi fuit ex dolore amara, ex illusione despecta et ex utilitate multiplici fructuosa, dolor autem causabatur ex quinque. Primo ex eo, quod ipsa passio fuit ignominiosa et hoc propter ignominiosum locum, quia in Calvaria, ubi malefactores puniebantur, propter ignominiosum supplicium, quia morte turpissima condemnatus est. Crux enim supplicium erat latronum, et licet crux tunc esset multae ignominiae, nunc est immensae gloriae. Unde AuguStinus: crux, quae erat supplicium latronum, nunc transit ad frontes imperatorum. Si tantum honorem Deus contulit supplicio suo, quid conferet servo suo? Propter ignominiosum' consortium, quia cum sceleratis deputatus est, id est, cum latronibus, qui primo erant scelerati. Sed postea unus conversus, scilicet Dismas, qui erat a dextris, sicut dicitur in evangelio Nicodemi, et alius damnatus, scilicet Gesmas, qui erat a sinistris. Uni ergo dedit regnum, alteri supplicium.
Ambrosius: auctor pietatis in cruce pendens in singulis negotiis pietatis officia dividebat, persecutionem apostolis, pacem discipulis, corpus Judaeis, crucifixoribus vestimenta, patri spiritum , virgini paranymphum, latroni paradisum, peccatoribus infermum, crucem christianis poenitentibus commendabat. Ecce testamentam, quod fecit Christus in morte pendens in cruce. Secundo ex eo, quod fuit injusta, quia peccatum non fecit et non est inventus dolus in ore ejus, et ideo quod venit indigne, poena dolenda venit. De tribus enim injuste praecipue eum accusabant, videlicet quia tributum reddi prohibebat, quia se regem dicebat et quia filium Dei se faciebat. Contra has tres accusationes dicimus in parasceue in persona salvatoris tres excusationes: popule meus quid feci tibi ete. , ubi exprobrat Christus tria beneficia iis collata, Scilicet liberationem ab Aegypto, regimen in deserto, plantationem vineae in loco optimo, quasi dicat Christus: accusas me de redditione tributi, potius deberes gratias agere, quia liberavi te a tributo, accusas me, quia dixi me regem, potius deberes gratias agere, quia regaliter pavi te in deserto, accusas quia me filium Dei dixi, potius deberes gratias agere, quia te in vineam meam elegi et in loco optimo plantavi. Tertio ex eo, quod fuit passus ab amicis, tolerabilior enim esset dolor, si pateretur ab his, qui aliqua de causa deberent esse ejus inimici, vel ab his, qui essent alieni vel extranei, vel ab illis, quibus aliqua incommoda intulisset, sed tamen patitur ab amicis, id est, ab his, qui deberent esse sui amici. Item a proximis, id est, ab his, de quorum stirpe natus est.
De his duobus dicitur in Psalmo: amici mei et proximi mei etc. , Job. XIX: noti mei quasi alieni recesserunt a me. Item ab his, quibus multa bona contulerat, Joh. VIII: multa bona operatus sum iis. Bernardus: o bone Jesu quam dulciter cum hominibus conversatus es, quam magna et abundantissima largitus iis es, quam dura et aspera pro iis passus es, dura verba, duriora verbera, durissima tormenta. Quarto ex ratione teneritudinis corporis, unde in figura David dicitur II Reg. penult.
: ipse est quasi tenerrimus ligni vermiculus. Bernardus: o Judaei lapides estis, lapidem percutitis molliorem, de quo resonat tinnitus pietatis et ebullit oleum caritatis. Item Hieronymus: traditus est Jesus militibus verberandus et illud sacratissimum corpus pectusque Dei capax flagella secuerunt. Quinto ex eo, quod fnit universalis, quia per omnes partes et omnes sensus. Primo enim fuit hic dolor in oculis, quia lacrymatus est, sicnt dicitur Hebr. V. Bernardus: adscendit in altum, nt longius audiretur, fortiter clamabat, ut nullus excusaretur, clamori lacrymas addidit, ut hos compateretur. Alias etiam bis lacrimas fudit, scilicet in resurrectione Lazari et super Jerusalem.
Itaque primae lacrymae fuerunt amoris, unde et quidam cum vidissent eum lacrymantem, dixerunt: ecce quomodo amabat eum! Secundae fuerunt compassionis, sed tertiae fuerunt doloris. Secundo fuit in auditu, cum ei scilicet opprobria et blasphemiae irrogatae sunt, Christus enim specialiter quatuor habebat, in quibus opprobria et blasphemias audivit. Habuit enim excellentissimam nobilitatem, quia quantum ad divinam naturam fuit aeterni regis filius et quantum ad humanam de regia stirpe genitus, ita etiam in quantum homo fuit, rex regum et dominus dominantium. Habuit ineffabilem veritatem, quia ipse est via, veritas et vita, unde de se iterum dicit: sermo tuus veritas est filius enim est sermo sive verbum patris. Habuit insuperabilem potestatem, quia omnia per ipsum facta sunt et sine ipso factum est nihil, Habuit insuper singularem bonitatem, quia nemo bonus nisi solus Deus. In his Christus audivit opprobria et blasphemias Primo quidem quo ad nobilitatem; Matth. XII: nonne hic cst filius fabri?
nonne mater ejus dicitur Maria etc. Secundo quo ad potestatem, Matth. XII: hic non ejicit daemonia, nisi in Beelzebub principe daemoniorum. Item Matth. XXVII: alios salvos fecit, se ipsum non potuit salvum facere. Ecce dicunt ipsunf'impotentem, cum tamen adeo potens exstiterit, quod persecutores suos sola voce prostravit. Nam cum interrogasset: quem quaeritis? et illi respondissent: Jesum Nazarenum, et ipse dixisset: ego sum, continuo ceciderunt in terram.
Augustinus: una vox turbam odiis ferocem, armis terribilem sine ullo telo percussit, repulit, stravit virtute latentis divinitatis. Quid judicaturus faciet, qui judicandus hoc fecit? Quid regnaturus poterit, qui moriturus hoc potuit? Tertio quo ad veritatem, Joh. VIII: tu de te ipso testimonium perhibes, testimonium tuum non est verum. Ecce quia dicunt eum mendacem, cum tamen ipse sit via, veritas ef vita. Hanc veritatem Pylatus scire vel andire non meruit, quia ipsum secundum veritatem non judicavit. Inchoavit quippe judicium a veritate, sed non in veritate permansit et ideo de veritate quaestionem meruit inchoare, sed non meruit solutionem audire.
Ratio alia cst secundum Augustinum, quaresolutionem non audivit, quia, cum illam quaestionem fecisset, subito venit illi in mentem consuetudo Judaeorum, qua solebat unus dimitti in pascha et ideo statim exiit et solutionem non exspectavit. Tertia ratio est secundum Ghrysostomum, quia sciebat, quod quaestio tam difficilis indigebat multo tempore et multa diseussione et ipse ad liberationem Christi properabat, et ideo statim exivit. Legitur tamen in evangelio Nicodemi, quod cum Pylatus Jesum interrogasset: quid est veritas? , Jesus ei respondit: veritas de coelo est. Et Pylatus: in terris non est veritas? Dicit ei Jesus: quomodo potest esse veritas in terris, quae judicatur ab his, qui potestatem habent in terris ? Ņ Quanto. quo ad bonitatem, dicebant enim ipsum esse peccatorem in corde, Joh.
IX: nos scimus, quia hie homo peccator est; seductorem in sermone, Luc. XII: commovit populum docens per universam Judaeam incipiens a Galilaea; usque huc legis praevaricatorem in opere, Joh. IX: non est hic homo a Deo, qui sabbatum non custodit. Tertio fuit in odoratu, quia magnum foetorem sentire potuit in loco calvariae, ubi erant corpora foetida mortuorum. Unde dicitur in scholastica hystoria, quod calvaries proprie est os capitis humani nudum, unde et quia ibi decollabantur rei et multa ossa capitum ibi adspersa erant, dicebatur calvariae locus vel calvarium. Quarto fut in gustu, unde cum clamaret: sitio, dederunt ei acetum. eum myrrha et felle mixtum, ut ex aceto citius moreretur et ipsi custodes a custodia citius liberarentur, dicitur enim crucifixos citius mori, acetum si bibant, et ex myrrha pateretur olfactus, et ex felle gustus. Augustinus: pro mero repletur sinceritas aceto, inebriatur felle dulcedo, adjicitur innocentia reo, moritur vita pro mortuo.
Quinto fuit in tactu, quia in omnibus partibus corporis, a planta enim pedis usque ad verticem non fuit in eo sanitas. De hoc autem qualiter in omnibus sensibus dolorem habuit, dicit Bernardus: caput angelicis tremendum spiritibus densitate spinarum pungitur, facies pulchra prae filiis hominum sputis Judaeorum deturpatur, oculi lucidiores sole caligant in morte, aures, quae audiunt angelicos cantus, audiunt peccatorum insultus, os, quod docet angelos, felle et aceto potatur, pedes, quorum scabellum adoratur, quoniam sanctum est, cruci clavo affiguntur, manus , quae formaverunt coelos, sunt in cruce extensae et clavis affixae, corpus verberatur, latus lancea perforatur, et quid plura? non remansit in eo nisi lingua, ut pro peccatoribus exoraret et matrem discipnlo commendaret. Secundo ejus passio fuit ex illusione despecta, quatuor enim vicibus fuit sibi illusum. Primo in domo Annae, ubi recepit sputa et alapas, velationem oculorum. Bernardus: vultum tuum, bone Jesu, desiderabilem, in quem desiderant angeli prospicere, sputis inquinaverunt, manibus percusserunt, velo pro delusione operuerunt, nec amaris vulneribus pepercerunt. Secundo in domo Herodis, qui eum fatuum et non sanae mentis aestimans ex eo, quod nullum ab eo responsum habere potuerat, pro derisione eum veste alba induit. Bernardus: tu homo es et habes sertum de floribus et ego Deus et habeo coronam de spinis, tu hàbes chirothecas in manibus et ego habeo clavos defixos, tu in albis vestibus tripudias et ego pro te derisus fui ab Herode in veste alba, tu tripudias cum pedibus et ego laboravi cum meis pedibus, tu in choreis brachia extendis in modum crucis in gaudium et ego ea in cruce extensa habui in opprobrium, ego in cruce dolui et tu in cruce exsultas, tu habes latus apertum et pectus in signum vanae gloriae et ego latus effossum habui pro te.
Tamen revertere ad me et ego suscipiam te. Sed quare dominus tempore suae passionis coram Herode, Pylato et Judaeis sic tacebat, hujus triplex est ratio Prima ratio est, quia non erant digni audire suam responsionem, secunda, quia Eva peccaverat per loquacitatem et ideo Christus voluit satisfacere per taciturnitatem , tertia, quia quidquid respondebat, totum calumniabantur et depravabant. Tertio in domo Pylati, ubi milites chlamydem coccineam circumdederunt ei, arundineri in manus dederunt et coronam spineam super capnt ejus posuerunt et genu flexo dicebant: ave rex Judaeorum. Illa autem spinea corona dicitur fuisse de juncis marinis, quorum acies non minus spina dura est et penetrativa, unde et sanguinem de capite creditur illa corona spinea extraxisse. Unde Bernardus: caput illud divinum multiplici spinarum densitate usque ad cerebrum defixum est. De anima sunt tres opiniones, ubi scilicet anima principalem habeat sedem, scilicet vel in corde propter illud: de corde exeunt cogitationes malae etc. , vel in sanguine propter illud Levitici: anima omnis carnis in sanguine est, vel in capite propter illud: inclinato capite tradidit spiritum etc. Hanc triplicem opinionem Judaei saltem ipso facto videntur seivisse, nam ut ejus animam a corpore evellerent, quaesierunt ipsam in capite, cum spinas usque ad cerebrum infixerunt, quaesierunt in sanguine, cum ejus venas in manibus et pedibus aperuerunt, quaesierunt in corde, cum ejus latus perforaverunt.
Contra has tres illusiones in parasceue praemittimus ante revelationem crucis tres adorationes dicentes: Agios ete. quasi ter honorantes ter illusum propter nos. Quarto in cruce, Matth. XXVII: principes sacerdotes eum illudentes cum senioribus et scribis dicebant: si rex Israel est, descendat nunc de cruce et credamus ei. Bernardus super hunc locum: interim patientiam magis exhibet, humilita1 tem commendat, obedientiam implet, caritatem perficit, In his nempe virtutum gemmis quatuor crucis cornua ornantur et supereminenlior caritas, a dextris obedientia, a sinistris patientia, radix omnium virtutum humilitas in profundo. Haec omnia, quae Christus passus est, Bernardus breviter recolligit dicens: memor ero, quamdiu vixero, laborum, quos pertulit in praedicando, fatigationum in discurrendo, vigiliarum in orando, tentationum in jejunando, lacrymarum in compatiendo , insidiarum in colloquendo, postremo conviciorum, sputorum, colaphorum, subsannationum, clarorum, exprobrationum, Tertio passio ejus fuit utilitate multiplici fructuosa, cujus utilitas potest esse triplex, seilicet peccatorum remissio, gratiae collatio et gloriae exhibitio, et haec tria notantur in titulo crucis, quia Jesus quo ad primum, Nazarenus quo ad secundum, rex Judaeorum, quo ad tertium, quia ibi erimus omnes reges. De ejus utilitate dicit Augustinus: culpam delevit Christus praesentem, praeteritam et futuram, praeterita peccata tulit ea remittendo, praesentia homines ab iis retrahendo, futura gratiam, qua vitarentur, conferendo. De ejus etiam utilitate dicit Augustinus : admiremur, gratulemur, amemus, laudemus, adoremus, quoniam per redemtoris nostri mortem de tenebris ad lucem, de morte ad vitam, de corruptione ad incorruptionem, de exsilio ad patriam, de luctu ad gaudium vocati sumus.
Quam utilis autem modus nostrae redemtionis fuerit, patet ex quatuor rationibus, videlicet quia fuit acceptissimus ad placandum Deum, congruentissimus ad curandum morbum, efficacissimus ad attrahendum genus humanum, prudentissimus ad expugnandum humani generis inimicum. Primo ergo fuit aeceptissimus ad placandum et reconciliandum Deum, quia sicut dicit Anselmus in libro: cur Deus homo, nihil asperius et difficilius potest homo pati ad honorem Dei sponte et non ex debito quam mortem, et nequaquam magis homo potest se dare quam cum se morti tradit ad honorem ipsius. Et hoc est, quod dicitur Ephes. V: tradidit semet ipsum oblationem et hostiam Deo in odorem suavitatis. Qualiter autem fuit sacrificium nos Deo placans et reconcilians, dicit Augustinus in libro de trinitate: quid tam grate suscipi posset, quam caro sacrificii nostri corpus effectum sacerdotis nostri? Ut quoniam quataor considerantur in omni sacrificio: cui offeratur, quid offeratur, pro quibus offeratur, et quis offerat, idem ipse unus utriusque mediator per sacrificium pacis reconcilians nos Deo cum ipso maneret, cui offerebat, unum in se faceret, pro quibus offerebat, unus ipse esset, qui offerebat et quod offerebatur. De hoc antem etiam, qualiter per Christum sumus reconciliati, dicit idem Augustinus, quod Christus est sacerdos et sacrificium, Deus et templum. Sacerdos, per quem sumus reconciliati, sacrificium, quo sumus reconciliati, Deus, cui sumus reconciliati, templum, in quo sumus reconciliati.
Unde quibusdam hanc reconciliationem parvi pendentibus Augustinus in persona Christi exprobrat dicens: cum esses inimicus patri meo, reconciliavit te per me, cum esses longe, ego veni ut redimerem te, cum inter omnes montes et silvas errares, quaesivi te, inter lapides et ligna inveni te et ne luporum ferarumque rapido ore laniareris, collegi te, humeris nieis portavi te, patri meo reddidi te, laboravi, sudavi, caput meum spinis opposui, manus meas clavis objeci, lancea latus aperui, tot non dicam injuriis, sed asperitatibus laniatus sum, sanguinem meum fudi, animam meam posui nt conjungerem te mihi, et tu divideris a me. Secundo fuit congruentissimus ad curandum morbum, congruitas autem attenditur ex parte temporis, ex parte loci, ex parte modi. Ex parte temporis, quia Adam factus fuit et peccavit in mense Martio, feria sexta et hora sexta et ideo Christus pati voluit in Martio, quia in die, qua fuit annuntiatus, fuit et passus. ltem in feria sexta et hora sexta. Secundo ex parte loci, quoniam locus suae passionis tripliciter confideratur, scilicet aut communis aut specialis aut singularis. Locus communis fuit terra promissionis, specialis calvariae locus, singularis crux. In loco autem communi primus homo fuit formatus, quia in partibus illis juxta Damascum in agro Damasceno dicitur fuisse formatus. In loco speciali fuit sepultus, quia ibidem, ubi Christus passus est, Adam dicitur fuisse sepultus, licet autenticum non sit, cum secundum Hieronymum Adam in Hebron monte sepultus fuit, sicut etiam Jos.
XIV expresse habetur. In loco singulari fuit deceptus, non quod in illo ligno, in quo Christus passus est, Adam fuit deceptus, sed pro tanto dicitur, quiá sicat Adam deceptus fuit in ligno, ita Christus passus fuit in ligno. In quadam hystoria Graecorum dicitur, quod in eodem. Tertio ex parte modi curandi, qui quidem modus fuit per similia et per contraria: per similia, quoniam sicut dicit Augustinus in libro de doctrina christiana, per feminam deceptus, per feminam natus homo homines, mortalis mortales, morte mortuos liberavit, Ambrosius: ex terra virgine Adam, Christus ex virgine. llle ad imaginem Dei, hic imago Dei, per mulierem stultitia, per mulierem sapientia, nudus Adam, nudus Christus, mors per arborem, vita per crucem, in deserto Adam, iu de serto Christus. Per contraria, quoniam primus homo secundum Gregorium peccaverat per superbiam, inobedientiam et gulam, voluit enim assimilari Deo per scientiae sublimitatem, transgredi praecepti Dei limitem et gustare pomi suavitatem; et quoniam curatio habet fieri per contrarium , ideo iste modus satisfaciendi congruentissimus fuit, quia fuit per humiliationem , divinae voluntatis impletionem et afflictionem. De his tribus ad Philipp. II: humiliavit semet ipsum quo ad primum, factus obediens quo ad secundum, usque ad mortem quo ad tertium.
Tertio fuit efficacissimus ad attrahendum genus humanum, nunquam enim salvo libertatis arbitrio magis ad amorem suum et fiduciam genus humanum attrahere potuit. Qualiter antem per hoc ad amorem nos attrahat, dicit Bernardus: super omnia reddit te amabilem, bone Jesu, calix, quem bibisti, opus redemtionis nostrae. Hoc omnino amorem nostrum facile vindicat totum tibi, hoc est, quod nostrum amorem et blandius allicit et justius exigit et citius stringit et vehementius afficit. Etenim ubi te-exinanisti, ubi te naturalibus radiis exuisti, ibi pietas magis emicuit, ibi caritas plus effulsit, ibi gratia amplius radiavit. Qualiter autem ad fiduciam, dicitur Roman. VIII: qui etiam proprio filio suo non pepercit, sed pro nobis omnibus tradidit illum, quomodo non etiam omnia cum illo nobis donavit? De hoc etiam Bernardus: quis non rapiatur ad spem. impetrandi fiduciam, qui ejus attendit corporis dispositionem, videlicet caput inclinatum ad osculum, brachia extensa ad amplexum, manus perforatas ad largiendum, latus apertum ad diligendum, pedum affixionem ad nobiscum commanendum, corporis extensionem ad se totum nobis impendendum.
Quarto fuit prudentissimus ad expugnandum humani generis inimicum, Job. XXV: prudentia ejus percussit superbum, et ultimo: numquid poteris capere Leviathan hamo? Christus enim hamum suae deitatis absconderat sub esca humanitatis et dyabolus capere volens escam carnis, captus est ab hamo deitatis. De hac prudenti captione dicit Augustinus: venit redemtor et victus est deceptor; et quid fecit redemtor captivatori nostro? tetendit muscipulam crucem suum, posuit in ea escam sanguinem suum. lpse antem voluit fundere sanguinem non debitoris, propter quod recessit a debitoribus: hujusmodi debitum apostolus vocat chirographum, quod quidem Christus tulit et cruci afflixit. De quo chirographo dicit Augustinus: Eva peccatum a dyabolo mutuavit, chirographum scripsit, fideJussorem dedit et usura posteritati crevit, tunc enim a dyabolo peccatum mutuavit, quando contra praeceptum Dei Suae pravae jussioni vel suggestioni consensit, chirographum scripsit, quando manum ad pomum vetitum porrexit, fidejussorem dedit, quando Adam peccato consentire fecit et sic usura peccati posteritati crevit. Contra igitur contemnentes hanc redemtionem, qua nos de inimíci potestate reduxit, Bernardus exprobrando dicit in persona Christi: popule meus, ait dominus, quid tibi facere potui et non feci?
Quid causae est, quod inimico magis libet servire quam mihi? nec ille creavit vos nec pavit. Si parva haec videntur ingratis, non ille, sed ego redemi vos. Quo pretio? non utique auro corruptibili vel argento, non sole aut luna, non saltem angelorum aliquo, sed proprio vos cruore redemi. Caeterum si neque tam multiplici jure debitum est a vobis elicere famulatum, omissis omnibus mecum saltem ex denario diurno convenite. Et quia in mortem Christum tradiderunt, Judas per avaritiam, Judaei per invidiam, Pylatus per timorem, ideo videndum esset de poena a Deo his inflicta merito hujus peccati. Sed de poena et origine Judae invenies in legenda sancti Matthiae, de poena et excidio Judaeorum in legenda sancti Jacobi minoris, de poena autem et origine Pylati in quadam historia licet apocrypha legitur: fuit quidam rex nomine Tyrus, qui quandam puellam nomine Pylam, filiam cujusdam molendinarii nomine Atus carnaliter cognovit et de ea filium generavit, Pyla autem ex nomine suo et nomine patris sui, qui dicebatur Atus, unum nomen composuit et nato puero imposuit nomen Pylatus, Cum autem Pylatus tres annos haberet, ipsum Pylà ad regem transmisit: habebat autem rex filium de regina conjuge sua, qui fere Pylato coaetaneus habebatur; isti dum annos discretionis attigissent, saepius luctamine, pugna et funda ad invicem colludebant.
Sed regis legitimus filius , ut genere erat nobilior, sic in omni loco Pylato inveniebatur strenuior et omni genere certaminis aptior. Ob hoc Pylatus invidiae livore commotus et felleo dolore stimulatus fratrem suum latenter occidit, quod rex audiens vehementer doluit et concione convocata, quid de scelerato et homicida faciendum sit filio, requisivit. Qui eum omnes reum mortis esse unanimiter acclamaverunt, rex autem ad se reversus iniquitatem iniquitate noluit duplicare, sed ipsum ero tributo, quod annuatim debebat Romanis, obsidem misit, tum volens innoxius esse ab occisione filii, tum a tributo Romanorum cnpiens liberari. Tunc enim temporis erat Romae filius regis Franciae, quem similiter rex miserat Romam pro tributis: huic Pylatus associatus cum se ab eo moribus et industria praecelli videret, eum invidiae stimulis agitatus occidit. Sed eum Romani, quid de eo faciendum esset, inquirerent, dixerunt: hic si supervixerit, qui fratrem necavit, obsidem jugulavit, reipublicae plurimum utilis erit et colla ferocium hostium ferox ipse domabit. Dixerunt ergo: cum reus mortis habeatur, in Pontos insulam gentibus illis, quae nullum patiuntur judicem, judex praeficiatur, si forte ejus nequitia ipsorum contumacia edometur, si non, quod meruit, patiatur. Missus igitur Pylatus ad gentem ferocem et suorum judicum peremtricem non inscius, ad quos missus sit et quam pendula vitae suae sententia, tacite rem considerans vitam suam servare voluit et gentem nequam ipse minis et promissis, supplicio et pretio penitus subjugavit. Qui igitur tam durae gentis victor exstitit, a Pontos insula Pontius Pylatus nomen accepit.
Herodes autem hominis illius industriam ut audivit, versutiis ejus congaudens ipse versutus eum ad se muneribus et internuntiis invitavit et super Judaeam et Jerusalem potestatem et vicem suam ei tradidit. Qui cum pecuniam innumerabilem congregasset, nesciente Herode Romam adiit et infinitam pecuniam Tyherio imperatori obtulit et ab eo sibi dari, quod ab Herode tenebat, muneribus impetravit. Hujuscemodi causa facti sunt inimici Pylatus et Herodes, quoadusque tempore passionis domini eum sibi reconciliavit, eo quod dominum ad se misit. Alia causa inimicitiae assignatur in hystoria scholastica. Quidam enim se filium Dei faciens multos de Galilaeis seduxerat, quos cum in Garizim deduxisset, ubi dixerat se adscensurum in coelum, superveniens Pylatus ipsum cum omnibus occidit timens, ne similiter Judaeos seduceret. Ob hoc facti sunt inimici, quia Herodes praesidebat Galilaeis, et utraque causa poiuit esse vera. Cum autem Pylatus dominum Judaeis crucifigendum tradidisset, timens tamen offensam Tyberii Caesarii eo quod condemnasset sanguinem innocentem, quendam sibi familiarem pro sui excusatione ad Caesarem destinavit. Interea cum Tyberius morbo gravi teneretur, nuntiatur eidem, quod Hierosolimis quidam medicus esset, qui omnes morbos solo verbo curaret, nesciens quod eum Pylatus et Judaei occidissent.
Dixit itaque Volusiano sibi privato: citius vade trans partes marinas dicesque Pylato, ut hunc medicum mihi mittat, qui me pristinae sanitati restituat. Cum autem ille ad Pylatum venisset et mandatum imperatoris exposuisset cidem, territas Pylatas XIMI dierum inducias postulavit. Intra quod spatium cum Volusianus quandam matronam, quae fuerat familiaris Jesu, nomine Veronica, ubinam Christus Jesus inveniri posset, interrogasset, ait: heu dominus meus et Deus meus erat, quem Pylatus per invidiam traditum condemnaret et crucifigi praecepit. Tunc ille nimis dolens ait: vehementer doleo, quia quod mihi dominus meus explere jusserat, non valeo. Cui Veronica: dominus meus cum praedicando circuiret et ego ejus praesentia nimis invite carerem, volui mihi ipsius depingi imaginem, ut, dum ejus privarer praesentia, mihi saltem praestaret solatium imaginis suae figura, cumque linteum pictori deferrem pingendum, dominus mihi obviavit et quo tenderem, requisivit. Cui quum viae causam aperuissem, a me petiit pannum et ipsum mihi venerabili sua facie reddidit insignitum. Imaginis ergo hujus aspectum si dominus tuus devote intuebitur, continuo sanitatis beneficio potietur. Cui ille: estne hujusmodi imago auro vel argento comparabilis?
Cui illa: non, sed pro affectu devotionis. Tecum igitur proficiscar et videndam Caesari imaginem deferam et revertar. Venit igitur Volusianus cum Veronica Romam dixitque Tyberio imperatori: Jesum a te diu desideratum Pylatus et Judaei injustae morti tradiderunt et per invidiam crucis patibulo affixerunt. Venit igitur matrona quaedam mecum ipsius Jesus imaginem deferens, quam si devote perspexeris, mox sanitatis tuae beneficium obtinebis. Caesar igitur pannis sericis viam sterni fecit et imaginem sibi praesentari praecepit, moxque, ut eam fuit intuitus, sanitatem pristinam est assecutus. Ponlius igilur Pylatus imperio Caesaris capitur et Romam perducitur; audiens Caesar Pylatum advenisse, nimio furore contra eum repletus eum ad se adduci fecit, Pylatus autem tunicam domini inconsutilem secum detulit, quam indutam coram imperatore portavit: mox ut imperator eum vidit, omnem iram deposuit et ei protinus assurrexit nec sibi dure in aliquo loqui praevaluit, et qui in ejus absentia videbatur tam terribilis et ferus, nunc in ejus praesentia invenitur quodammodo mansuetus. Cumque eum licentiasset, mox contra eum terribiliter exardescit, se miserum clamans, quod ei furorem sui pectoris minime ostendisset, statimque eum revocari fecit, jurans et contestans, quod filius mortis esset nec fas sit eum vivere super terram. Qui ut eum vidit, continuo eum salutavit et omnem animi ferocitatem abjecit.
Mirantur omnes, mirabatur et ipse, quod sic contra Pylatum, dum abesset, exardesceret et dum praesens esset, nil ei asperi loqui posset. Tandem divino nutu vel forte alicujus christiani suasu ipsum illa tunica exspoliari fecit et contra illum pristinam animi ferocitatem resumsit, cumque de hoc imperator plurimum miraretur, dictum est sibi, quod illa tunica fuisset domini Jesu. Tunc imperator ipsum in carcere recipi jussit, donec sapientum consilio deliberaret, quid de co fieri oporteret. Data est igitur in Pylatum sententia, ut morte turpissima damnaretur. Audiens hoc Pylatus cultello proprio se necavit et tali morte vitam finivit. Cognita Caesar morte Pylati dixit: vere mortuus est morte turpissima, cui manus propria non pepercit. Moli igitur ingenti alligatur et in Tyberim flumen immergitur, spiritus vero maligni et sordidi corpori maligno et sordido congaudentes et nunc in aquis nunc in aére rapientes mirabiles inundationes in aquis movebant et fulgura, tempe-. states, tonitrua et grandines in aére terribiliter generabant, ita ut cuncti timore horribili tenerentur.
Quapropter Romani eum a Tyberis fluvio extrahentes derisionis causa ipsum Viennam deportaverunt et Rhodano fluvio immerserunt. Vienna enim dicitur quasi via Gehennae, quia erat tunc locus maledictionis, vel potius dicitur Bienna eo quod, ut dicitur, biennio sit constructa, Sed ibi nequam spiritus non defuerunt, ibidem eadem operantes, homines ergo illi tantam infestationem daemonum non ferentes vas illud maledictionis a se removerunt et illud sepeliendum Losannae civitatis territorio commiserunt. Qui cum nimis praefatis infestationibus gravarentur, ipsum a se removerunt et in quodam puteo montibus circumsepto immerserunt, ubi adhuc relatione quorundam quaedam dyabolicae machinationes ebullire videntur. Hucusque in praedicta historia apocrypha leguntur. Quae utrum recitanda sint, lectoris judicio relinquatur. Nota tamen, quod in hystoria scholastica legitur, quod Pylatus a Judaeis accusatus est apud Tyberium de violenta innocentium interfectione et quia Judaeis reclamantibus imagines gentilium in templo ponebat et quia pecuniam repositam in corbanam in suos redigeret usus, inde faciens aquaeductum in domum suam et pro his omnibus deportatus est in exilium Lugdunum, unde oriundus fuerat, ut ibi in opprobrium gentis suae moreretur. Potuit esse, si tamen illa hystoria continet veritatem, quia primo jam edictum dederat, ut Lugdunum jam in exsilium portaretur et quod ante reversionem Volusiani ad imperatorem ibi fuit deportatus.
Sed postmodum Tiberius audiens, qualiter Christum occidisset, ipsum de exilio educi et ad se Romam adduci fecit. Eusebius autem et Beda in suis chronicis non dicunt ipsum in exilio relegatum sed tantum, quod in multas calamitates incidens propria manu se peremit.
De festivitatibus, quae occurrunt infra tempus reconciliationis.
Dicto de festivitatibus, quae occurrunt infra tempus '"deviationis, quod incepit ab Adam et duravit usque ad Moysen: quod tempus repraesentat ecclesia a septuagesima usque ad pascha, sequitur videre de festivitatibus, quae eveniunt infra tempus reconciliationis, quod tempus repraesentat ecclesia a pascha usque ad octavam pentecostes.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Phil.2.7 — but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness, and appearing as a human being.
- ↩Rom.8.32 — He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
- ↩Rom.8.32 — He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
The Golden Legend (Legenda Aurea) companion
Continue through all 240 chapters, one saint a day
Chosen Portion serves the Golden Legend as a daily portion on iOS, free, alongside the full Sub Rosa archive
The Legenda Aurea was organized for day-by-day use across the liturgical year, and Chosen Portion restores that original one-feast-per-day reading rhythm
- A complete saint's life or feast reading most days in 5-10 minutes
- 240 chapters - enough daily readings to cover a full liturgical year and beyond
- Daily reminders so the plan survives busy weeks