The Great Little King

Just as a craftsman in ordinary life makes a thing in a shape suitable for its intended use, so the Master Craftsman has fashioned our nature to be a fitting instrument for the exercise of sovereignty over the universe, by providing it with spiritual gifts and a bodily shape for a king.

The soul’s exalted and royal nature is shown to be far removed from submissiveness by the fact that it is free and independent and acknowledges no master – it has been provided with its own unchallenged power of choice. What is more characteristic of a king than this?

Those who paint portraits of rulers in ordinary life copy the details of their form and underline their kingly importance by dressing them in purple so that the portrait is as that of a king by it composition. In the same way, human nature by virtue of its likeness to the King of All, who created it to rule others, is seen to be a living portrait of him – the portrait has a part in the title and importance of its Master.

It is not dressed up in purple nor does it show its importance by a scepter or a crown – the Original does not have these either – but it is clothed in virtue, which is in truth the most royal of all garments, instead of a purple robe. It relies on the blessedness of immortality instead of a scepter. In place of a kingly crown it is adorned with the garland of righteousness.

Thus the accoutrements of kingship show it to be in all respects an accurate copy of the form of the Original.

A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

From the Commentary on Isaiah by Eusebius of Caesarea, 260-340 A.D.

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God’. This makes clear that the events spoken of in the prophecy are to take place not in Jerusalem, but in the wilderness. By this is meant that the glory of the Lord will appear, and the salvation of God will be made known to all flesh.

This prophecy was fulfilled historically and literally, when John the Baptist preached the saving advent of God, in the wilderness by the Jordan, where the salvation of God was in fact seen. For Christ and his glory became known to all when, after he had been baptized, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit came down under the appearance of a dove, and rested upon him. This was the Father’s voice heard in testimony to the Son: ‘This is my Son, my Beloved; listen to him!’

These things were said because God was about to come to the wilderness which had been impenetrable and inaccessible for a whole age. For all the nations were empty of the knowledge of God: access to them had been prohibited to all the men of God and the prophets.

That was why that voice ordered a way to be prepared for the Word of God, and the pathless and rugged wastelands leveled, so that at his coming, our God might find the road clear for his advance. ‘Prepare the way of he Lord’: this is the Gospel preaching, the new consolation, the ardent desire that the salvation of god come to the knowledge of all men.

Get up to a high mountain, O herald of good tidings to Zion,
lift up your voice with strength, O herald of good tidings to Jerusalem

These words fit in very well with the meaning of our first quotation. They make an appropriate reference to the preachers of the Gospel, and announce the coming of God among men, after we have heard of the voice crying in the wilderness. It is fitting that after the prophecy about John the Baptist, the preachers of good tidings be mentioned.

Who then is this Zion, except she who earlier was called Jerusalem? For she too is a mountain, according to that passage of scripture, ‘The mountain of Zion, where you made your dwelling’, and the Apostle says, ‘You have come to Mount Zion’. Does this perhaps refer to the band of apostles, chosen from among the former people of the circumcision?

This Zion and Jerusalem is she who receives the salvation of God. She herself is placed on high on the mountain of God, that is on his Only-begotten Word. To her he gives the command to get up on a high mountain, and preach the word of salvation. But who preaches the good tidings, if not the band of those who make the Gospel known? And what is meant by making the Gospel known? Preaching to all mankind the coming of Christ on earth, and preaching it first to the cities of Judah.

Do Not Resist the First Advent, and the Second Will Not Terrify Us

From a sermon by Augustine, bishop, 4th century.

Then all the trees of the forest will exult before the face of the Lord, for he has come, he has come to judge the earth. He has come the first time, and he will come again. At his first coming, his own voice declared in the gospel: Hereafter you shall see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds. What does he mean by hereafter? Does he not mean that the Lord will come at a future time when all the nations of the earth will be striking their breasts in grief? Previously he came through his preachers, and he filled the whole world. Let us not resist his first coming, so that we may not dread the second.

What then should the Christian do? He ought to use the world, not become its slave. And what does this mean? It means having, as though not having. So says the Apostle: My brethren, the appointed time is short: from now on let those who have wives live as though they had none; and those who mourn as though they were not mourning; and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing; and those who buy as though they had no goods; and those who deal with this world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away. But I wish you to be without anxiety. He who is without anxiety waits without fear until his Lord comes. For what sort of love of Christ is it to fear his coming? Brothers, do we not have to blush for shame? We love him, yet we fear his coming. Are we really certain that we love him? Or do we love our sins more? Therefore let us hate our sins and love him who will exact punishment for them. He will come whether we wish it or not. Do not think that because he is not coming just now, he will not come at all. He will come, you know not when; and provided he finds you prepared, your ignorance of the time of his coming will not be held against you.

All the trees of the forest will exult. He has come the first time, and he will come again to judge the earth; he will find those rejoicing who believed in his first coming, for he has come.

He will judge the world with equity and the peoples in his truth. What are equity and truth? He will gather together with him for the judgement his chosen ones, but the others he will set apart; for he will place some on his right, others on his left. What is more equitable, what more true than that they should not themselves expect mercy from the judge, who themselves were unwilling to show mercy before the judge’s coming. Those, however, who were willing to show mercy will be judged with mercy. For it will be said to those placed on his right: Come, blessed of my Father, take possession of the kingdom which has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. And he reckons to their account their works of mercy: For I was hungry and you gave me food to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me drink.

What is imputed to those placed on his left side? That they refused to show mercy. And where will they go? Depart into the everlasting fire. The hearing of this condemnation will cause much wailing. But what has another psalm said? The just man will be held in everlasting remembrance; he will not fear the evil report. What is the evil report? Depart into the everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. Whoever rejoices to hear the good report will not fear the bad. This is equity, this is truth.

Or do you, because you are unjust, expect the judge not to be just? Or because you are a liar, will the truthful one not be true? Rather, if you wish to receive mercy, be merciful before he comes; forgive whatever has been done against you; give of your abundance. Of whose possessions do you give, if not from his? If you were to give of your own, it would be largess; but since you give of his, it is restitution. For what do you have, that you have not received? These are the sacrifices most pleasing to God: mercy, humility, praise, peace, charity. Such as these, then, let us bring and, free from fear, we shall await the coming of the judge who will judge the world in equity and the peoples in his truth.