The Garments of the Word

The striking of the hands and feet of the Savior signifies nothing other than the cross. Therefore, consider the things just mentioned: is this assembly, which is not shameless for souls that are unbridled and lustful—those who lust through insults, who hate the one who made the resurrection of the dead and the sight of the blind and the healing of lepers, and who wish to subject them to death—is this not an assembly of fornicators? But there is a praiseworthy assembly.

They struck my hands and my feet (Psalm 22:16), and regarding this history, some have said this: many shepherds became like irrational animals, and it was never recorded that a fold was placed upon a fold, nor a dappled mare upon a dappled mare, nor a flock upon a shepherd, nor horses upon a horse-breeder. Only men placed rulers, and history brings many rulers, and those of good character and earnest mind, to be removed by those ruling. If they remained sheep, they would not have been led away. So when dogs became prevalent, and even humans became dog-like in manner, life, and disposition, they were called an 'assembly of fornicators.' To be 'fornicators' means to rise up against the benefactor, to stand up against the shepherd.

All my bones were numbered (Psalm 35:10). Whatever was in them, they subjected my bones to numbering, even though they were not countable. Therefore, it weaves together the mind. It also rises up according to history, the dividing of his garments and the casting of lots around the weaver's whole cloak (John 19:23-24). In a certain way, the word in the present Gospel text struggles; for the soldiers did this. But the soldiers were not Hebrews; for altogether a Jew was not permitted to serve in the military; but since they in a certain way became the cause of him being handed over to the soldiers as well, they apply the utterance to themselves.

But they understood me and had mercy on me (Psalm 35:11). How? Having understood, they had mercy on me? — Having perceived, they saw the scattering of my bones. And 'to show/pity' is often said regarding the fault-finders.

And the powers of his teaching can perhaps be called bones. 'They divided my garments among themselves' (Psalm 22:18). For this reason, we no longer wish to remain here regarding the historical sense; for it has already been said that even the soldiers divided them into four parts, having made them, and cast lots upon the tunic woven from top to bottom of all.

I say: just as the sum of the believers was called the body of Christ according to a certain figure, as the apostolic testimonies signified, and we used to say that the joints of this body are the useful parts, so again we say that this very God-breathed Scripture is the body of the Savior, but the useful meanings of this body are the contemplations concerning the other superior meanings. And the words are garments; for the Word according to the understanding is clothed by the words.

Even if, therefore, I have enumerated its bones, they were not divided; they only saw them as if they were not; for if they had seen them as they are, they would have been empowered in them and would have made them their own, as it is said: 'All my bones shall say: Lord, who is like you?' (Psalm 35:9). For these are not sensible bones that say this.

Therefore, the garments of the Word are divided by all those who hold different opinions, those who hold false doctrines. They drag the words toward what they want and make them their own, such as: 'The Lord created me at the beginning of his ways' (Proverbs 8:22). The word is a garment of the 40th contemplation. The Arians drag it as they wish and consider it their own. The ecclesiastics, again, receive it as being worn by Wisdom who says this, and others receive others. And it is possible to find the same words almost by all the heterodox being handled differently and differently. So they divided them, they stripped the words of the Word and dragged them naked of the Word toward their own will. 'And upon my clothing they cast lots' (Psalm 22:18). No one, having possessed any lot, casts it upon it, but when he is able, he casts something into many...