The Martyrdom and Prayer of Christ-bearer

You were initiated by the more prominent apostles into the truth that the Father has a genuine, beloved Son. I show myself to you so that you may be able to bear the burden. And the Son stood by my side, so that you might know his honor by the relation of place. At that time, many were scandalized that God had clothed himself in flesh on earth; but see him now in the heights, with me, bearing the form of man in the heavenly and hyper-heavenly realms, as a confirmation of the completed economy. Do not be crushed or grow limp by being overwhelmed by this.

Looking at the athlete, do not be afraid of the contest. Do not despise the body, treating it as an earthly bond, a fragile house, or a corrupt vessel of a potter. Ascend toward the end here in freedom, for the crown of manliness is ready for you. Transfer from the earth to heaven. Leave the body to the scavengers like food for dogs. Leave behind a raging people and come to the dance of angels.

After this resolve, God appeared to the patient one, so that he might not suffer something cowardly, and might release much eagerness through the greatness of fear. Therefore, God neither sent him an angel as a helper, as he later did for the apostles in prison (Acts 12:5), nor any ministerial and fellow-servant power, but he manifested himself. For it was then the firstfruits of the testimony, and it was necessary for the first work to be completed, so that those following, being built up as witnesses, might receive a strong foundation of zeal and not become imitators of cowardice, which is exactly what happens in common wars. For one soldier, a champion, providing the glorious part of the work, having conquered and having emboldened all his own, strikes down the opponents; yet, having suffered a slight injury, he immediately collapses and fills the souls of his kinsmen with cowardice, and flight becomes a habit. For this reason, God appeared from heaven.

But he who was worthy of the great vision did not hold in silence what he saw, but immediately cried out: 'Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!' (Rev 4:1). For he thought that the revealing of the vision would draw the unbelievers into agreement. But those making the spoken word a starting point for greater wrath and madness, attempting to block...

They held their ears against the word as if it were blasphemy, immediately ready for death. Dragging the Christ-bearing man outside the city, bearing his endurance as the Lord bore the cross, they return evil for evil and justify murder with murder, and with stones they bind the one who serves the cornerstone.

Standing him on a certain level field, that long body and high trophy of the martyrs, the mob of blood and wrath surrounded him, and imitating the sling used in wars, they threw stones at the servant of the cornerstone, and every Hebrew hand enacted the murder; the aim was for those leaving that the martyr stood in the middle like a target for an archer.

As the body was shattered from every side and smeared with blood, it rushed toward the upright position; it leaned and threatened to fall like a tall plane tree being worked on by many carpenters; but it did not suffer an improper fall according to the many. For it was not cast headlong, nor was it thrown on its side, nor was the form reclined upon its back, but having set its knees in the proper form of one praying, it descended, hastening with the soul through prayer the separation from the flesh and crying out to the visible Lord: 'Lord Jesus Christ, receive my spirit.'

For he was hastening as if to some migration, as if from a foreign land to a fatherland, as if to a bright city from a desert and smoky land. And he added to his petition the prayer for those throwing stones. For those blessing and those stoning were saving, and those murdering were making alive, and those separating from the clay were sending to the kingdom.

Let us therefore consider also the word of the prayer, regarding toward what end it carries 'Lord, do not hold their sin against them' (Luke 23:34). For it is not, as some wickedly thinking men suppose, that the sin of the enemies becomes unpunished and unaccountable. For this was clearly to stand against God's decree and to restore the judgment and law of the righteous, having completed what was due to the murderers.

But what does he say? 'Lord, do not hold their sin against them,' that is: Give the fear of compunction, lead to repentance those now having dared,