The Encirclement of Jesus

Imposing the mystery upon the invisible, he who also understands the mystery of the presence and the passion. Therefore, those outside are looking at me as outside, those who know Christ only according to the flesh, and such people are those about whom Paul writes: 'For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified' (1 Cor 2:2). They are of the outside and run outside, such as those are who hear in parables; for it is not the parable spoken unclearly that has made them outside, but their own external intellect has led them outside to this.

He became as if dead from the heart. The one understanding Jesus as being life—for he says: 'I am the life' (John 14:6)—and living, is the son of a living Father; for he says 'I live' because of the Father—they never forget him; for being present in their intellect, he always enlightens them, so that each one says: 'But Christ lives in me' (Gal 2:20). Such a person is in Christ and has Christ in himself, living and working. But when someone perceives him not as living nor working, he forgets him as if dead; for Christ does not live in all, but in those working according to him. And those who consider themselves to be Christians, but do not work according to Christ, do not have him living in them.

See: the foolish man lives according to wickedness, being 'more a lover of pleasure than a lover of God' (2 Tim 2:22), doing all things hedonistically. He considers the righteous man to be dead, because he is stripped of his own foolish life and does not receive it in his intellect. 'I became as a lost vessel' (2 Tim 2:21). I have not become a lost vessel, but like the lost vessel. And take for me the example: the other men being crucified beside the Savior seem to have become useless vessels, vessels of destruction. This one saying these things as if he has become the lost vessel, but not lost. Just as sin became not the same thing to others as being sin, but so that they might become the righteousness of God in him, he was made like sin (2 Cor 5:21), he was made like the lost vessel. For that men are called vessels is not unknown, and these indeed are for honor, but those for dishonor. This vessel according to Jesus is not of destruction; for he did not know sin. But it has become like the lost vessel. It has become a curse, so that it might bring blessing. But no curse brings blessing, but rather it diminishes the blessing; not—

For he was a blessed man, though cursed. This one, having become a curse, has become a cause of blessing, and not for one man, but for all who believe.

I heard the slandering of many dwelling around. I heard many slandering me, not having set themselves apart at all. The Israelites were dwelling around Jesus. They slandered him: 'He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons' (Matt 12:24). 'He is a sinner because he does not keep the Sabbath' (Matt 12:2). They were around. If those saying these things were Gentiles, they would not have been his circle. These have become a circle. For he says: 'And they encircled me like bees, Lord' (Ps 118:148). They encircled me aggressively.

In the gathering of them all at once against me. He mentioned enemies, neighbors greatly reviling him; he mentioned those attacking him from the heart; he says those dwelling around and slandering. These were gathered together at once 'to take his soul,' especially when 'nations and peoples raged and labored in vain' (Ps 2:2); for here also nations having raged were not yet entirely set apart from him or separated. 'Why did they rage?' They attacked the Hebrews more arrogantly. And the Hebrews in vain and emptily labored over the prophecies concerning me. All the things said: the hosts 'were gathered together at once, they deliberated to take my soul.' The magnitude of the attack is shown, that 'at once all were gathered together to take his soul.' Not one, nor two, nor ten, nor a thousand, but all at once. The unshakeable and the irresistible, or the not being overturned, of the soul of Jesus is signified. They hardly gathered at once to take my soul or deliberated, and they did not seize it. 'No one takes my soul from me; I lay it down from myself, so that I may take it again' (John 10:18).

They deliberated to take my soul. They have gone as far as deliberating to kill him. If he himself does not give himself, they were not able to do this. For they came greedily to seize him, he says: 'Whom are you seeking?' (John 18:3) and he says: 'Jesus the Nazarene' (John 18:5). 'I am,' as he said, 'they went backward and fell to the ground' (John 18:6). And again a second time: 'Whom are you seeking?' and he said the same to them, and they fell to the ground again. He says a third time: 'I am,' therefore me...