The Ancient Witnesses

212 • The Ancient Witnesses: A Journey to Discover Our Sacred Roots

my gifts, and the pleasant vineyard with its rich grapes henceforth will be a desert land.” 92 “I don’t understand,” said Cesar. “Christ grieved for Israel, his chosen people,” replied Cyril, “and he pitied Jerusalem. He wept over the city because he knew that it would endure much misery because of its crimes against him.” “I see,” said Cesar. “This is the passion of grief!” said Ephrem. “Yes,” agreed Cyril, “but this grief does not flow from the divine and impassive nature of the Word, because the Word transcends all passion. Yet, the Incarnate Word willed also to submit himself to the measure of human nature, by suffering what belongs to it. For it would not have been fitting for him who emptied himself to be unwilling to endure human suffering. So, while God the Father is altogether free from passion, the Son wisely and for the dispensation’s sake submitted himself to the infirmities of mankind.” 93 The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus Mentor thanked Cyril and Ephrem and walked them back to their section in the Athenaeum. He returned with two witnesses we had not met before, both of them tall and aristocratic in appearance. “John’s Gospel does not include the account of Jesus’ sorrow and prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane,” said

92 Cyril of Alexandria and R. Payne Smith 1859. Commentary upon the Gospel according to St. Luke (Oxford: Univ. Press), Sermon 51, 685, translation modernized.

93 Same as previous note, 686, translation modernized.