Romanos the Melodist — Commentary on Scripture

John 19:1

Like a lion they roared to seize
The life of the lamb, Christ.
Pilate, fulfilling their plan,
Flogged you, the meek One.
So he set to work on your back.…
The Redeemer endured the whip.
The Deliverer was in chains,
Stripped and stretched out on a pillar,
He who in a pillar of cloud
Previously spoke to Moses and Aaron.
He who laid the pillars of the earth, as David said, is bound to a pillar.
He who made known to the people the way in the desert—for the pillar of fire showed [the way] before them— is fastened to a pillar.
The rock is on a pillar, and hewn for me is
The church.

KONTAKION ON THE PASSION OF CHRIST 36.13-14

John 19:6

The martyr Abel was envied by Cain and later murdered.
This is what Christ also endured:
Though he desired this envious people,
He incited them to anger, while showing affection;
He healed those who were sick, and instead of gratitude, he suffers and is crucified,
In order that Adam might dance in celebration.
The crowd of the lawless, feeling an antipathy towards the plethora of miracles
Cried out: “Kill! Crucify him!”
The One who sustains all things was delivered over to Pilate;
They handed over to the court of justice
Him who will judge both kings and paupers;
The condemned judges the just Judge;
The one who lives in obscurity
Threatened to murder the Redeemer as a thief!
Meanwhile he, in order to suffer, endures so long, in silence, standing speechless,
In order that Adam might dance in celebration

KONTAKION ON THE PASSION OF CHRIST 36.5-6

John 19:9

The Thunderer stood voiceless
The Word, without a word;
For if he had raised his voice
He would not have been overcome,
And, victorious, he would not have been crucified, and Adam would not have been saved:
Therefore, in order that he might suffer
He who captures the wise
Conquered by keeping silent.
But when the judge saw that he did not speak out, overcome with desperation,
He said: “What am I to do with one who does not speak?”
But they answered: “He is guilty of those things about which we ask:
Thus, he keeps silent.…”
“Death now is a debt I owe,” said my Savior
“To the lawless people”—as for Pilate,
Jesus did not consider the unspeakable brute
Worthy of a word

KONTAKION ON THE PASSION OF CHRIST 20.7-8

John 19:12

“Crucify!” the murderer heard the impious crying out,
And their will he fulfilled,
Handing over, without being compelled to,
The One whom he planned to have crucified.
For having heard that he would be an enemy of Caesar,
The coward was frightened.
He would rather be the enemy of the Almighty
Than the enemy of Caesar,
Preferring his life over the Life.
Therefore he will certainly not escape blame,
Since, because of the lawless,
He killed the Living One.

KONTAKION ON THE PASSION OF CHRIST 36.16

John 19:17

“In you, Abraham, I foreshadow my plans,
For indeed, O righteous one,
You are clearly my figure in relief.
Do you want to know what is to come after you as a result of your [actions]? For this is why I had you ascend here, to show you.
For just as you did not spare
Your son on account of me,
So also I on account of all
Will not spare my son;
Instead I will give him to be slain for the sake of the world.” …
“In the same way that your Isaac carried
The wood on his shoulders,
My son will bear the cross upon his shoulders.
Your great love has revealed
Also what is about to happen.
See now the ram [caught up] in the wood;
When you see where its superior strength comes from, you will understand the mystery: It is by the horns that these bonds are overcome;
The horns signify the hands of my son.
Not only did they slaughter [my son] for me,
But I also continue to protect your son for you.”

KONTAKION ON ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 3.22-23

John 19:25

The lamb, Mary, beholding her lamb advancing to the slaughter, Followed him wearily with the other women, saying, “Where are you going, O my son?… Is there another wedding again in Cana, And are you hurrying there now In order that you may make wine from water for them? Shall I go with you, my child, or should I wait for you instead? Give me some word, O Word, And do not pass me by in silence, You who have kept me pure, My son and my God.… “You go on, O child, to an unjust death, And no one shares in your suffering with you. Peter does not accompany you— He who said to you, ‘I shall never deny you, even if I die.’ Thomas has left you—the one who cried out, ‘Let us all die with him.’ And again the others, family and sons [of God], Destined to judge the twelve tribes, where are they now? Not one of all of them is here. But the one above all, You, alone, O Son, saved all who were opposed [to you]. You reconciled all who were against [you], My son and my God.” … [Jesus replies] “O Mother, hold on for a little longer, and you will see how, like a healer, I strip down and come where they…

The lamb, Mary, beholding her lamb advancing to the slaughter,
Followed him wearily with the other women, saying, “Where are you going, O my son?…
Is there another wedding again in Cana,
And are you hurrying there now
In order that you may make wine from water for them?
Shall I go with you, my child, or should I wait for you instead?
Give me some word, O Word,
And do not pass me by in silence,
You who have kept me pure,
My son and my God.…

“You go on, O child, to an unjust death,
And no one shares in your suffering with you.
Peter does not accompany you—
He who said to you, ‘I shall never deny you, even if I die.’
Thomas has left you—the one who cried out,
‘Let us all die with him.’
And again the others, family and sons [of God],
Destined to judge the twelve tribes, where are they now?
Not one of all of them is here. But the one above all,
You, alone, O Son, saved all who were opposed [to you].
You reconciled all who were against [you],
My son and my God.” …

[Jesus replies] “O Mother, hold on for a little longer, and you will see how, like a healer,
I strip down and come where they lie dead
And heal their wounds,
Cutting their callousness and hardness with the point of the spear.
And when I receive the vinegar,
I use it as an astringent on the wound;
And when I have opened up the cut with the scalpel of the nails,
I will use my tunic as a dressing,
Having my cross as the remedy,
I use it, O Mother, so that you may sing with understanding:
‘By suffering he has redeemed suffering,
My son and my God.’

“Therefore leave behind your grief, O Mother
And set out on your journey with joy.
For I am already hurrying towards that for which I came,
To fulfill the plan of him who sent me;
For, this was from the beginning what was ordained for me
Even by my Father, and it did not displease my spirit then that I should become incarnate
And suffer on behalf of the fallen.
Hurry then, O Mother, announce to all,
‘By suffering he strikes down the one who hates Adam
And, having conquered, he comes,
My son and my God.’ ”

KONTAKION ON MARY AT THE CROSS 35.1, 3, 13-14

John 20:1

To the Sun, before sun, once he had set in the tomb The young women bearing incense hastened at dawn, As though seeking the day and saying to one another, “O friends, come Let us anoint with spices The body, life-bearing and buried, The flesh which resurrects the fallen Adam That lies here in this tomb. Let us go, let us hurry like the magi, And let us kneel down and bring with us The myrrh as gifts— Not to him in swaddling clothes But to him wrapped in burial cloths. And let us weep and cry out: ‘O Master! Arise! You who offer resurrection to the fallen.’ ” While these godly women were discussing These things among themselves, They considered another idea, which is full of wisdom, And they said to one another: “Women, why are we fooling ourselves? For surely the Lord is not in the tomb! Could it have held in subjection this long One who controls the breath of living beings? Would he still be lying there as a putrid corpse?… Let Mary go and see the tomb, And let us follow whatever she tells us, For most certainly, as he foretold, The immortal one has arisen, He who offers resurrectio…

To the Sun, before sun, once he had set in the tomb
The young women bearing incense hastened at dawn,
As though seeking the day and saying to one another,
“O friends, come
Let us anoint with spices
The body, life-bearing and buried,
The flesh which resurrects the fallen Adam
That lies here in this tomb.
Let us go, let us hurry like the magi,
And let us kneel down and bring with us
The myrrh as gifts—
Not to him in swaddling clothes
But to him wrapped in burial cloths.
And let us weep and cry out:
‘O Master! Arise!
You who offer resurrection to the fallen.’ ”
While these godly women were discussing
These things among themselves,
They considered another idea, which is full of wisdom,
And they said to one another: “Women, why are we fooling ourselves?
For surely the Lord is not in the tomb!
Could it have held in subjection this long
One who controls the breath of living beings?
Would he still be lying there as a putrid corpse?…
Let Mary go and see the tomb,
And let us follow whatever she tells us,
For most certainly, as he foretold,
The immortal one has arisen,
He who offers resurrection to the fallen.”
The wise women, giving due consideration to this idea,
As planned, sent forward Mary Magdalene
To the tomb, as the Theologian says.
It was dark, but love lighted the way for her;
And so she saw the great stone rolled away
From the entrance to the tomb.

KONTAKION ON THE RESURRECTION 40.1-3

John 20:16

He who searches the hearts
And grabs them by the reins,
Knowing that Mary would recognize his voice,
Like a shepherd, called his crying lamb,
Saying, “Mary.”
She at once recognized him and spoke:
“Surely my good shepherd calls me
In order that from this time forward he may number me among the ninety nine lambs;
For I see behind the one who is calling me
The bodies of the saints, the ranks of the just,
Therefore, then, I do not say,
‘Who are you who calls me?’
For I clearly know who it is who is calling me;
It is he, as he said ahead of time, My Lord, he
Who offers resurrection to the fallen.”

KONTAKION ON THE RESURRECTION 40.10

John 20:17

Carried away by the warmth of her affection and by her fervent love,
The maiden hurried, wanting to take hold of him,
Who is not containable, who fills all creation.
But the Creator did not fault her eagerness;
Instead, he elevated her to the divine, saying,
“Do not touch me; or do you consider me merely mortal?
I am God, do not touch me.
O holy woman, lift up your eyes and consider the heavens;
Seek me there,
For I am ascending to my Father,
Whom I have not left.
For I exist simultaneously with him
And share the same throne and honor with him, I
Who offer resurrection to the fallen.”

KONTAKION ON THE RESURRECTION 40.11

John 20:27

Who protected the hand of the disciple, then, That was not melted when he approached The fiery side of the Lord? Who gave it daring and strength to probe The flaming bone? Certainly the side was examined. For unless the side had supplied abundant power, How could a right hand of clay have touched The sufferings which had shaken What is above and what is below? It was grace itself that was given to Thomas By Christ to touch his side and to cry out, “You are our Lord and God.” Truly the bramble bush which endured fire Was burned but not consumed. Because of the hand of Thomas I believe the story of Moses. For, though his hand was perishable and thorny, It was not burned When it touched the side that was like burning flame. Then fire came upon the bramble bush, But now, the thorny one raced to the fire; And God himself looked on, Guarding both. And so I believe. And so I will praise the one who is both God and man, as I cry, “You are our Lord and God.” For truly the boundary line of faith Was circumscribed for me By the hand of Thomas. For when he touched Christ He became like the pen…

Who protected the hand of the disciple, then,
That was not melted when he approached
The fiery side of the Lord?
Who gave it daring and strength to probe
The flaming bone?
Certainly the side was examined.
For unless the side had supplied abundant power,
How could a right hand of clay have touched
The sufferings which had shaken
What is above and what is below?
It was grace itself that was given to Thomas
By Christ to touch his side and to cry out,
“You are our Lord and God.”

Truly the bramble bush which endured fire
Was burned but not consumed.
Because of the hand of Thomas
I believe the story of Moses.
For, though his hand was perishable and thorny,
It was not burned
When it touched the side that was like burning flame.
Then fire came upon the bramble bush,
But now, the thorny one raced to the fire;
And God himself looked on,
Guarding both. And so I believe.
And so I will praise the one who is both God and man, as I cry,
“You are our Lord and God.”

For truly the boundary line of faith
Was circumscribed for me
By the hand of Thomas.
For when he touched Christ
He became like the pen
Of a rapid-writing scribe
That writes for the faithful.
Faith gushes forth from it.
The robber drank and became sober again from it.
The disciples watered their hearts from it.
Thomas drained the knowledge that he sought from it,
For he drank first and then offered a draught
To many who have a little doubt. He persuades them to say,
“You are our Lord and God.”

KONTAKION ON DOUBTING THOMAS 46.1-3

John 21:15

Look to me, Peter, on how you offer instruction.
Remembering your own fall, sympathize with all.
Mindful of that maiden who caused your own downfall, do not be harsh.
If conceit attacks you, listen again to the sound of the rooster’s crow,
And remember the tears with whose streams I washed you,
I who alone know what is in your heart.
Peter, do you love me? Do what I say, feed my flock, and love those whom I love,
Sympathizing with sinners and remembering the compassion I had for you, since I received you after you denied me three times.
You have a thief as gatekeeper of paradise to give you courage.
Send him those whom you wish.
Because of you, Adam turned to me,
Crying, “O Creator offer me
The robber as gatekeeper, and Cephas as keeper of the keys.
You who alone know what is in the heart.”

KONTAKION ON THE MISSION OF THE APOSTLES 47.5-6