The Passion of Christ
The suffering and death that the Fathers read as sacrifice, prophecy, and victory
The Passion is the suffering, crucifixion, and death of Jesus Christ and its saving meaning. Drawn from the Gospel passion narratives, it was contemplated early by writers like Melito in his On Pascha. The Fathers read it through prophecy fulfilled, sacrifice offered, and victory over death won, seeing in Christ's death not defeat but the heart of salvation.
How it traveled
- The Church History of EusebiusCaesarea · 339explains
- The Life of Constantine with Orations of Constantine and EusebiusCaesarea · 339explains
- The Incarnation of the WordAlexandria · 373explains
- Ephraim Syrus: The Nisibene HymnsEdessa · 373explains
- Ephraim Syrus: Three HomiliesEdessa · 373explains
- Letters of Athanasius with Two Ancient Chronicles of His LifeAlexandria · 373explains
- Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.)Alexandria · 373explains
- The Catechetical Lectures of S. CyrilJerusalem · 386explains
- Select Orations of Saint Gregory NazianzenNazianzus · 390explains
- The Homilies of St. John ChrysostomConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. JohnConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- A Commentary on the Acts of the ApostlesConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- Homilies on First CorinthiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the HebrewsConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and EphesiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the RomansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- Homilies on Second CorinthiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- A Commentary on the Apostles' CreedAquileia · 411explains
- Jerome and Gennadius. Lives of Illustrious MenBethlehem · 420explains
- Expositions on the Book of PsalmsHippo Regius · 430explains
- Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. JohnHippo Regius · 430explains
- The Harmony of the GospelsHippo Regius · 430explains
- Reply to Faustus the ManichæanHippo Regius · 430explains
- City of GodHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of InfantsHippo Regius · 430explains
- On the Holy TrinityHippo Regius · 430explains
- The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of TheodoretCyrrhus · 458explains
- The Letters and Sermons of Leo the GreatRome · 461explains
- John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox FaithDamascus · 749explains
- Anselm's Cur Deus HomoCanterbury · 1109explains
- Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59)Paris · 1274explains
- Treatise on the Sacraments (qq[60]-90)Paris · 1274explains
- Commentary on GalatiansWittenberg · 1546explains
- Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the GospelGeneva · 1564explains
- Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic ChurchGeneva · 1564explains
- Seventeen Occasional SermonsNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- A History of the Work of RedemptionNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- XIV Five discourses on the soul's eternal salvationNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- The Wisdom of God Displayed in the Way of SalvationNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, in Three PartsNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
Key passages(20)
Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
1. The cause of those views and apprehensions, which Christ had in his agony in the garden, was the bitter cup which he was soon after to drink on the cross. The sufferings which Christ underwent in h
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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
In proper sequence we have now to consider all that relates to Christ's leaving the world. In the first place, His Passion; secondly, His death; thirdly, His burial; and, fourthly, His descent into he
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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
Reply to Objection 4: The sin of the angels was irreparable; not so the sin of the first man (FP, Q[64], A[2]). Objection 1: It would seem that there was no other possible way of human deliverance be
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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
I answer that, Among means to an end that one is the more suitable whereby the various concurring means employed are themselves helpful to such end. But in this that man was delivered by Christ's Pass
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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
The third reason is because, as Chrysostom says in a sermon on the Passion (De Cruce et Latrone i, ii): "He suffered upon a high rood and not under a roof, in order that the nature of the air might be
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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
I answer that, As we have stated, when treating of the defects assumed by Christ (Q[15], AA[5],6), there was true and sensible pain in the suffering Christ, which is caused by something hurtful to the
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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 3: Further, the might of Christ's Passion endures for ever, as, according to Heb. 10:14: "By one oblation He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." But deliverance rom the devil'
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Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
Our salvation may be thus divided between the death and the resurrection of Christ: by the former sin was abolished and death annihilated; by the latter righteousness was restored and life revived, th
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The Letters and Sermons of Leo the Great · Pope Leo the Great
Sermon LV. On the Lord’s Passion IV., delivered on Wednesday in Holy Week. I. The difference between the penitence and blasphemy of the two robbers is a type of the human race. That which we owe to
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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 2: Further, the principle of men's salvation is the Godhead Itself, according to Ps. 36:39: "But the salvation of the just is from the Lord." Consequently, if Christ's Passion did not appert
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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 3: Further, Christ's Passion was ordained for man's deliverance from sin, as stated above (A[3]). But Christ came to deliver men from every kind of sin. Therefore He ought to have endured ev
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An Answer to the Jews. · Apologetic
Chapter X.—Concerning the Passion of Christ, and Its Old Testament Predictions and Adumbrations. Concerning the last step, plainly, of His passion you raise a doubt; affirming that the passion of the
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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
Reply to Objection 2: As stated above (A[1], ad 4,5), in order to secure the effects of Christ's Passion, we must be likened unto Him. Now we are likened unto Him sacramentally in Baptism, according t
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A Commentary on the Apostles' Creed · Rufinus of Aquileia
17. It is with no loss or disparagement therefore of His Divine nature that Christ suffers in the flesh, but His Divine nature through the flesh descended into death, that by the infirmity of the fles
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A Commentary on the Apostles' Creed · Rufinus of Aquileia
19. First of all, then, we must know that the doctrine of the Cross is not regarded by all in the same light. It is one thing to the Gentiles, to the Jews another, to Christians another; as also the A
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A History of the Work of Redemption · Jonathan Edwards
IV. I come now to his last humiliation and sufferings, from the evening of the night wherein he was betrayed to his resurrection. And here was his greatest humiliation and suffering, by which principa
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A History of the Work of Redemption · Jonathan Edwards
Under these sufferings, Christ, having cried out once and again with a loud voice, at last said, IT IS FINISHED, (John xix. 30.) “and bowed the head, and gave up the ghost.” And thus was finished the
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A Treatise on Faith and the Creed · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 5.—Of Christ’s Passion, Burial, and Resurrection. 11. But little [comparatively] was the humiliation (humilitas) of our Lord on our behalf in His being born: it was also added that He deemed
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An Invitation to Holy Communion · Thomas à Kempis
AS I offered Myself willingly to God the Father for your sins with hands outstretched and body naked on the cross, so that nothing remained in Me that had not become a complete sacrifice to appease th
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Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations · Aphrahat
10. And if thou shouldest say that Christ has not yet come, I will grant this also to thy contentiousness. For it is written that when He shall come, the Gentiles shall expect Him.After sixty-two week
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