Monday, October 31, 2016

Sacred Sharp and Pointy Object

Mar Ephraim the Syrian tied together the sword of the cherub in Genesis 3:24 and the lance of the Roman Soldier in John 19:34
Blessed be the Merciful One---who saw the lance beside Paradise---which barred the way to the Tree of Life. And he came and took him a body, that was wounded, that by the opening of his side he might open a way INTO PARADISE--St Ephraim the Syrian, Nativity Hymns 8:4
He just unpacks the Tree of Life, the swords, the Tree of Life.

Elsewhere, St Ephraim preaching about holy sharp and pointy objects says:
The lance of Phineas filled me with fear, that sword, with which he excluded the plague. The lance that guarded the Tree of Life make me joyful yet sad, for it excluded Adam from Life yet excluded the plague from the People. But the lance which wounded JESUS, I grieve for it; he was wounded, and I weep. From Him came forth water and blood; Adam washed, came to life and returned to paradise.--CNis 39,7

Then Cyrillona, St Ephrem's successor and maybe nephew wrote:
The sickle cuts the vine and streams of water flow down it; the lance pierced Christ and streams of Mercy flowed to us--Cyrillona, Memra on the Pasch, 363-6 (Syr, Bickell, p 581/; tr. Vona, pp. 111-12)