Gregory of Nazianzus on

I have been translating some segments of Greek texts from a number of important Greek-speaking Church Fathers this semester. The class is with Dr. Jon Robertson who did his doctoral work at Oxford in this same field. There are only two of us in the class so we get a lot of great interaction with Dr. Robertson.

This last week we translated Gregory of Nazianzus, sermon from Easter, here is excerpt from my translation:

1.3 Yesterday the Lamb was slaughtered and the doorposts were anointed, and Egypt sang a dirge for her firstborn, and the one who destroys passed over us, and the seal was fearful and awe-inspiring, and we were walled in with honorable blood. Today we have cleanly fled from Egypt and from Pharoah the bitter ruler and heavy commander, we were liberated from mud and brick making. And there is not one hindering us to celebrate the Lord our God, to celebrate our departure, not in the old leaven of malice and wickedness, but with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth,not bringing Egypt’s godless dough.

1.4 Yesterday I was crucified with Christ, today I am glorified with him. Yesterday I died with him, today I am made alive. Yesterday I was buried, today I rise. But let us offer to the one who suffered and rose again for us. You will perhaps think that I am going to say gold, or silver, or woven work or transparent and costly stones, the passing earthly material, that enslaves this world below, and is for the most part always possessed by bad men.  We offer ourselves, the possession most precious to God and most fitting, we give back to the image keeping with the image, we see our dignity, we honor our archetype, we know the power of the mystery, that Christ died.

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